PHR: Legislation and Case Laws, PHR 2020
What is a final pay approach?
Plans using a final pay approach base their benefits on the average earnings during a specified number of years-usually towards the end of an individual's employment.
which provisions are key components of the FLSA?
Giving an employee one-and-one half times the employees rate for overtime work Ensuring employees are paid for time spent traveling during work hours Compensating an employee at $7.25 per hour
THe ____ HR specialist handles interviewing and employing overseas:
Global
Which of the following is a guideline that focuses on organizational actions?
Policy
Explain HR coaching
HR coaching helps employees achieve their potential and continue to develop their skills, matching them with the needs of the organization. Through evaluations and employee self-assessments, HR can nurture strengths while providing training to overcome weaknesses. Coaching can also help employees progress on their career path by identifying areas for advancement within the organization. This gives employees an incentive to stay with the organization and pursue self-improvement goals
Which piece of legislation requires employers to pay employees for preliminary and postliminary tasks, such as job-related travel time that is outside of an employee's regular work commute and time spent in job-related training?
Portal-to-portal act
Roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders in an organization vary according to the size of the organization and the practices in the industry.
HR- gain support from the organization's leadership for safety programs; often work as a guiding force behind the development, admin, and eval of safety and security programs Line managers- play a more tactical role and accept ultimate responsibility for the safety of their teams; Safety committees- help to spread safety awareness among employees to ensure employee participation; encourage employees to follow sound safety practices; Manager- compare current performance to the goals originally set;
HR professional need to be familiar with a number of terms commonly used when developing hiring criteria. Match each term with the requirement it describes:
Has performed the role previously- Experience in leading technical teams, References area of specialization - background in mediation, Possessing skills, knowledge and competency for an activity- Ability to use publishing software, Able or qualified to perform a task - Capacity to supervise young children, Suitability for the activity or role - Aptitude for working in a fast paced environment, Familiarity gained from learning - knowledge of environmentally friendly cleaning products
Identify the actions employers must take under the key standards of the OSH Act?
Have a written confined space plan in place and notify employees Provide information on any task that involves chemicals Provide annual safety training to employees potentially exposed to blood-borne pathogens and develop controls to remove or reduce exposure to blood-borne pathogens Have one or more methods of machine guarding Place a physical barrier on a machine or moving parts to prevent injury
Match each category of external risk:
Hazard- water flooding caused significant damage to a company's premises, Financial - a slow economy results in consumers buying fewer vehicles, Strategic - a technology company realizes is product might become outdated, Operational - a lawsuit has been filed against a company for breach of contract
Which of the following is not a benefit of the HRD department?
Help with the creation of an environment that thrives on trust and respect
Match the types of outsourcing relationships to their characteristics:
High integration- vendor has access to customer information; vendor is usually in a long-term relationship with the organization; vendor becomes a strategic partner Low integration- vendor relationship to customers is largely invisible; vendor has access to only essential information; vendor performs only specific contractual services
Corporate social responsibility
How the company will be just and fair from a corporate citizen's perspective
What type of information should you include when developing a job description?
How the job fits with the company Metrics to determine whether objectives are met The reporting structure and managerial duties Working conditions
Improving working conditions, managing staffing issues and creating training programs are some of the reasons for the establishment of the:
Human Resource Department
The ___ section of HR takes a critical look at an organization's recruitment policies:
Human Resources
Which functional areas are common to most organizations?
Human Resources Finance and Accounting Marketing and Sales Production/Operations
Local market
IAs are paid the same as a employee in a similar position in the host country; The base salary is calculated relating to the host-country standards and all applicable allowances are added in order to create a fair compensation package
Creation and allocation of related expenses
IT hardware purchased through IT department and assigned to HR
Program evaluation and review technique (PERT)
Identifies all major project events
Business case development
Identifies resources and sets management expectations
Once an organization or dept has resources and action plans, they need to be optimally organized and aligned to deliver results. Match steps of performing the organizing function with the action.
Identify activities- Establish action plan tasks, Organize activities into units- combine similar tasks, Classify roles and authority- rank roles, Draw organizational structure- Coordinate authority and responsibility
Succession planning is a talent management strategy to identify and develop potential successors for key positions in an organization. Which activities are characteristic of good succession planning?
Identifying successors for key positions in an organization Creating a strategic development plan for high-potential employees Enabling quick replacement when people leave key roles
Gather information
Identifying the gap between current skill levels within the outbound sales team
Which steps are involved in designing training?
Identifying the target audience Choosing an instructional designer Identifying necessary content Determining training objectives
Which activity is involved in the HR functional area of risk management?
Identifying workplace threats to employee health and safety
What are some privacy concerns in the workplace?
Identity theft Invasive employee monitoring Protection of proprietary information IT security Protection of computer files Corporate espionage
Explain the process of decertification:
If a company's employees feel that their union is not doing a good enough job to represent them, they can go through the process of decertification, which strips the union of its official status as the employees' representatives
Explain internal equity:
If employees are compensated fairly according to their performance on the job, as well as for the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are required for their positions and the responsibilities that are expected of them
When employees appreciate status and have a strong passion for winning arguments, they are said to be:
Power-motivated
What actions demonstrate effective vendor management?
Praising a vendor for meeting production deadlines, preparing a service-level agreement to be used with all vendors, implementing training programs to enhance cross-cultural understanding, and distributing an information product brochure to potential vendors
Dual career ladders
Imogene, a manager in training is progressing alongside her colleague who 's a technical professional
Securities and Exchange Act, 1934
Impacts organizational stock option purchase plans
Explalin divesting and how it is used in the company:
In order to cut costs, reduce inefficiencies, or recover financially from a recent downturn, a company may decide to dispose of some or all of its business units by selling the company to another company, closing down permanently, declaring bankruptcy, or relocating overseas (offshoring). This is known as divesting a business.
What did Philip B Crosby do?
In the field of quality management, he introduced several important ideas that remain highly consequential in organizations attempting to solve quality control issues. One of his principle ideas is "zero defects"
EO 11478 (year 1969)
Included disabled individuals and those 40 years of age or older in the protected classes established in EO 11246.
What does deferred compensation include?
Includes the various types of retirement plans that employers offer where income is realized later as compensation for work that is performed now.
Which are the benefits of knowing the legal issues surrounding the interview process?
Increases the likelihood that you'll hire the best person for the job, Helps you and your company avoid lawsuits or other penalties
What are the common types of health care plans?
Indemnity plans Health maintenance organizations Preferred provider organizations
Corporate governance refers to the rules, processes, or laws by which corporations are managed, regulated and controlled. What are key elements of corporate governance?
Independence of auditors Prohibited insider trading Protection of whistleblowers Compliance with existing corporate laws
Small, noninteractive groups
Individuals seated at one oblong table with the trainer at one side
Small, interactive groups
Individuals seated in a ring with the trainer seated among them; Trainees seated in a U-shape with the trainer at the top
Group work
Individuals seated in small groups at separate tables with the trainer mobile between them
Employees who are motivated by power are classified into two categories:
Insititutional and personal
Power driven employees whose primary concern is meeting the organization's objective by influencing others to work towards that goal are known as:
Institutional power-driven employees
Which examples are contract negotiation approaches?
Integrative Distributive Interest-based
A company tells its workers that a unionization effort may lead to loss of jobs and existing employee benefits. What type of unfair labor practice is demonstrated by the company?
Interfering with unionization efforts
The accident investigation and reporting process helps to provide a safe working environment by determining the causes of an accident, then reporting them so that accidents can be prevented in the future. Sequence the steps for conducting an accident investigation:
Preliminary briefing Accident site visit and interviews Fact finding Gather evidence Documentation Conclusions and recommendations Implementation of recommendations and follow up
Employers should treat unions and employees fairly. Not only is this a good business principle, laws regulate the way employees behave. Match unfair labor practices by employers to their examples:
Interfering with unionization efforts- a company threatens to close the plant if the workers unionize Retaliating against NLRB activity- an employer states they will suspend employees who files complaints with the NLRB Refusing to bargain in good faith- an employer refuses to bargain with the company union about employee wages Discriminating against wages- a manager promises an employee a promotion as long as the employee doesn't join a union Dominating a labor union- an employer creates a union at a company
A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool that helps you to analyze an organizations strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Match the SWOT with an example:
Internal- high quality processes, poor customer sastisfaction; External- new competition, favorable economic upswing
There are three types of intervention strategies under the implementation theory. Match each strategy type to its example.
Interpersonal strategy- performance management; diversity programs Structural strategy - reporting relationships Technological strategy - process analysis
Which guidelines help organizations manage records properly?
Preserve documents according to the document retention policy and collect legally required employment records
a company uses a celebrity's likeness to endorse their product without permission. Which common law tort applies?
Invasion of privact
Which examples are key principles in the change management process?
Involve employees at the conceptual stage through to the implementation of the change to win their trust and create ownership, Assess the organization's values, beliefs, and behaviors early on to identify potential resistance to change, Periodically reward and motivate employees to keep them focused on the goal, Provide encouragement and counseling so employees understand exactly what is expected of them, Create and communicate an inspiring vision of change to help alleviate fear of the unknown
Explain what the factor comparison method does?
Involves a ranking method of each job by selected compensable factor and then identifies dollar values for each level of each factor to develop a pay rate for an evaluated job
What does phased retirement involve?
Involves cutting back working hours (or days) and the phasing in of retirement benefits such as Social Security funds. Phased retirement arrangements can take the form of part-time work, temporary or seasonal work, or job sharing
What is a paired comparison?
Is a process of comparing each job to every other job for the purpose of ranking all jobs on a scale from high to low.
What is quality improvement?
Is a process that revolves around designing a strategy that allows an organization to meet the needs of the customers. It involves creating an organizational infrastructure that serves the demands of customers.
What is Kurt Lewin's change process theory?
Is a three-step organizational program that seeks to explain how entities change, that catalysts that precipitate change, and how change can be successfully accomplished
Which options are characteristic of effective compensation plans?
Is fair and has relative rewards and benefits Ensures costs are consistent with employee contribution Is consistent with federal, state, and local laws Meets employee needs for a predictable income
What does process flow mapping refer to?
Process flow mapping is a chart that displays the flow of information, the tasks needed, and the decisions that have to be made within a process.
What is public domain?
Is when work can be used freely because it does not or no longer has copyright. In order for a work to not be protected by federal copyright law, it needs to meet one of 2 conditions. If the federal government publishes the work, it is regarded as public. Expiration is the only other way an article would lose copyright protection
The class of employees that performs at maximum capacity while working independently of others is:
Isolation-motivated employees
Which statements describe effective employee onboarding programs?
It begins as early as possible It is customized for the organization and for the job It is an integrated effort of multiple staff members It is focused on organizational success Include a general introduction to the organization Extend over a long period of time
Which of the following statements is true regarding a learner analysis in hte needs assessment process?
It can be completed in conjunction with the task analysis
Why is organizational branding important?
It communicates a unified message about their identity. Branding weaves together an organization's purpose, values, and strengths to give employees and customers a clear image of the organization's character.
What are the benefits of behavioral based interviewing?
It ensures the interviewer focuses on the required competencies for the job, It increases the likelihood that you'll find the best candidate for the job
Which are the main characteristics of behavioral-based interviewing?
It focuses on candidates past behavior in particular work-related situations, It aims to minimize bias that can result when an interviewer draws conclusions based on first impressions, a candidates' strengths, or stereotyping, It aims to identify whether candidates have the competencies identified for the position
Competitive advantage
Produce products at a lower cost
Which are two main characteristics of behavioral-based interviewing?
It focuses on determining whether candidates can apply the skills required to perform a given job It involves finding out about candidates' past experiences
What does a vision statement focus on?
It focuses on the organization's future goals. For example, an organic restaurant might decide on the following vision statement: "To become a top-rated restaurant in the city"
What is medicare?
It is an amendment to the Social Security Act (SSA) of 1935 with the purpose of providing healthcare for individuals age sixty-five and older, which is not dependent on their income or ability to pay
What best describes corporate social responsibility?
It is an issue of ethics, pursued by corporations that see the health of their business as contingent upon the health of their community
What are organization-wide performance-based pay plans?
Profit-sharing plans, performance-sharing plans, and stock ownership plans
What is financial restructuring?
It is when an organization reorganizes the financial structurs of the company. A company might make changes to its equity holdings, debt-servicing schedule, and cross-holding pattern based on the recommendations of financial and legal advisors to sustain its profitability.
What does content validity measure?
It measures how well a selection tool's subject matter covers the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for a specific job
What does the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) do?
It oversees and enforces workplace safety regulations
Copeland "Anti-Kickback" Act, 1934
Prohibits federal contractors from receiving any portion of employee earnings
Which are the main characteristics of behavioral-based interviewing?
It uses candidates' previous behavior to forecast how they'll behave on the job if hired It aims to determine whether candidates have the competencies needed for a particular job It involves asking questions directly related to candidates' job performance It helps prevent subjective judgment by focusing on facts about candidates' behavior in real situations
Copeland "Anti-kickback" Act, 1934
Prohibits federal contractors from receiving any portion of employee earnings
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) 2008
Prohibits insurers from denying coverage based on genetic information
WHAt is the Glass Ceiling Act apart of what did it establish?
Its part of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 and established a commission to study how businesses filled management positions, and whether there were significant barriers to protected groups (such as women and minorities) that were preventing them from reaching out positions.
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), 2008
Prohibits insurers from denying coverage based on genetic information
What are key considerations when developing a customized relocation analysis?
Projected decrease in the spouse's income Adjustments in commuting distances Calculation of income using tax laws in the new area Changes in interest rate resulting from a mortgage exchange
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
Provides employees with the right to choose to continue group health benefits
Learning and development involves on of the following:
Providing management with relevant data that will prove useful in succession planning discussions.
Positive employee relations can be challenging to incorporate into any organization's culture. Which strategies help build effective employee relations?
Providing meaningful recognition Ensuring continuous communication Ensuring employee-management cooperation Encouraging employee involvement
Define child labor laws?
Provisions put into place that ensure that working youth are guaranteed a safe workplace that does not pose a risk to their overall health and well-being or prevent them from pursuing additional educational opportunities
Blake Mouton's theory
Leaders vary depending on the level of consideration
__ is the smallest section of the PHR test?
Learning and Development
___ is a test of a PHR's ability to establish proper development strategies to boost an organization's chance of success.
Learning and Development
What does the Railway Labor Act do?
Puts limits on strikes by railroad and airline unions, if those strikes are found to cause major problems to the nation's transportation system and its ability to engage in trade
What is quality planning?
Quality planning is focused on the needs of customers-determining the customers, the principal needs for the customers, and figuring out how to develop a product that is congruent to the needs of the customers.
1977: Automobile Workers V. Johnson Controls, INC
"Decisions about the welfare of the next generation must be left to the parents who conceive, bear, support and raise them, rather than to the employers who hire the parents."
What is the compa-ratio for a salary range of $10-$22 and an entry level employee salary of $12.50?
.78 percent
Place the activities done when implementing recruitment methods in order
1) ensure you have buy-in from stakeholders 2) launch action plans 3) provide support for all individuals needed to carry out the plans 4) determine whether the targeted return on investment has been realized
After Congress passes a law, rules must be put into place to guide the regulatory process associated with the new law. There are a number of steps involved in the process of making administrative laws or rules. List them:
1. An agency develops a draft of the proposed rule, which is approved at the highest level of the agency 2. The notice of proposed rule is published and public reviews are conducted 3. The final draft of the proposed rule is developed and sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review
Bob needs to decide where to hold the interviews for a copy editing position. Which are effective ways to plan for the interview environment?
1. Seek a place that's free from noise and potential interruptions 2. Make sure the furniture in the interviewing room is not too formally arranged
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
National origin or religion discrimination and segregation that deprives employment
A candidate is expected to arrive at the test ___ minutes before the exam?
15
The PHR test consists of
150 multiple choice questions
What percentage of the test assesses your knowledge of Business Management?
20%
According to the Acquired Need Theory, employee needs can be classified into:
3 classes
The entire test should be completed within:
3 hours
Employee and Labor Relations cover ____ of the PHR test?
39%
How many elements of PHR:
5
Which statement is most reflective of the Pareto analysis system?
80% of output is generated by 20% of input
Explain what the health maintenance organization (HMO) emphasizes?
A HMO is structured to emphasize preventative care and cost containment. Under this plan, physicians are paid on a per-head basis, rather than for actual treatment. Employees are covered under and HMO, must seek treatment from physicians who are under the HMO contract.
What is a point-of-service organization?
A POS is a combination of a PPO & HMO that provides direct access to specialists
The best tool for carrying out an Organizational Analysis is:
A SWOT Analysis.
Who is Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa?
A central figure in the rebuilding of the Japanese industrial base after the Second World War. He introduced several invaluable ideas, one of the most prominent is that production does not end after the commodity is purchased, but rather it continues to ensure maximum customer satisfaction
An example of of Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) violation:
A large company has a rule that only English may be spoken in the workplace, even though fluency in English is not necessary to perform all the organization's jobs effectively
Discriminating against employees
A manager promises an employee a promotion as long as the employee doesn't join a union
What is coaching (human process interventions)?
A process that involves working interpersonally (with a supervisor) to enhance techniques for self-management, strategy development, customizing strategies that are proximate to client needs, and meeting core objectives
A code of Ethics is a:
A set of principles with the objective of assisting professionals to be honest in their business dealings
Which requirements are common in cooperation agreements between unions and employers?
A union emails all employees with information about its campaign An employee signs and dates an authorization card to authorize union representation All employees of the company attend a union meeting after work
which examples depict common requirements in a cooperation agreement between a union and employer?
A union holds a captive audience meeting on company premises A union representative visits an employee at home Employees recognize the union by signing authorization cards
The hierarchy of needs was promulgated and popularized by:
Abraham Maslow
Sometimes unions launch a targeted campaign against the employer to pressure it into signing a neutrality or cooperation agreement under which the employer agrees not to resist organizing attempt. What examples show common requirements of a cooperation agreement between a union and employer?
All employees are in attendance at the monthly union meeting A union representative compiles a list of all employee email addresses Employees sign and date authorization cards
Sometimes unions launch a targeted campaign against the employer to pressure it into signing a neutrality or cooperation agreement under which the employer agrees not to resist the organizing attempt. What examples show common requirements of a cooperation agreement between a union and employer?
All employees are in attendance at the monthly union meeting Employees sign and date authorization cards A union representative compiles a list of all employee e-mail addresses
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA), 2001
Allows employees to defer a part of their pretax pay
Explain the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010)
Also known as Obabmacare, was phased in over a 4 year period, making access to healthcare available to several million more Americans. If individuals do not have access to employer-sponsored healthcare coverage, Medicare or Medicaid, they are now able to purchase healthcare from an insurance exchange and possible receive a subsidy
Small Business Job Protection Act (SMJPA), 1996
Alters rules for 401(k) and IRA accounts
Small Business Job Protection Act (SBJPA), 1996
Alters rules for 401(k) and IRA accounts; provides rule change for 401(k) and IRA accounts
The HRCI only accepts this currency as payment when you register for the exam?
American dollars
Which options are steps in the federal rule-making process?
An agency develops a draft of the proposed rule, which is approved at the highest level of the agency The notice of proposed rule is published and public reviews are conducted The final draft of the proposed rule is developed and sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review
Sometimes, despite an organization's best efforts to comply with various employment and labor legislation, an employee may file a discrimination complaint. Sequence the steps required in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, complaint process.
An employee files a complaint with the EEOC The EEOC notifies the employer that a complaint has been filed The EEOC provides a copy of the grievance to the employer The EEOC makes a determination regarding a reasonable case
Explain green-circle rate?
An employee who is paid a green-circle rate is paid at a rate below the range minimum?
Explain red-circle rate?
An employee who is paid red-circle rate is paid at a rate above the range maximum
Which examples demonstrate methods to optimize exit interviews?
An exiting employee reveals the company's competition offers flextime to all its employees An HR manager is asked to conduct an exit interview An interviewer asks an exiting employee to describe the aspects of the job most enjoyed A company researches all area competition benefits packages to ensure theirs are attractive A firm's policy states that all exit interviews will be face-to-face
Which examples show scenarios suitable for a worker to be awarded additional pay?
An organization needs employees at a remote site An employee agrees to work an extremely late shift A customer pays a higher price to receive a rush shipment
What is a matrix structure?
An organizational structure that combines elements of both functional and divisional structures
Match the cultures to their characteristics:
Low-context culture- People tend to have many relationships of fairly brief durations; Communication is direct, to the point, logical, and sequenced High-context culture- People tend to have fewer relationships overall, but they are of longer duration; Communication is cyclical and its meaning is contained in the context
Retirement Equity Act (REA), 1984
Lowers age limits for participation and vesting in pension plans
Which statements about the Mine Safety and Health Act are true?
MSHA inspectors don't need a warrant to enter mine property Miners have the right to obtain an inspection of a mine where they believe imminent danger exists Surface operations are inspected twice a year Underground mines receive a minimum of four annual inspections Miners have the right for a representative to accompany federal inspectors during mine inspections MSHA many not give advance notice of an inspection
Organizations, often represented by HR professionals, provide support for causes that align with organization's own values and also benefit these communities. What are the phases that organizations may go through when partnering with the community?
Mainstream involvement, Corporate accountability, Reactive corporate philanthropy, Strategic partnership
Which record keeping requirements must organizations adhere to under the FLSA?
Maintain complete payroll records Retain records for the required duration
Establishing strategic relationships with key individuals in each functional area of the organization can help you facilitate and influence organizational decision making. Match the functional area with activities you can undertake to collaborate with them:
R&D -design awareness programs with respect to organizational intellectual property, Finance and accounting - use financial statements to understand issues that drive management decisions, Operations- devise reward systems for linking performance with quality initiatives, Sales and marketing - provide customized training to improve customer-facing skills, IT - Assess opportunities and risks associated with a new technology
Comparative
Ranking a list of top performers from lowest to highest on a bell curve
What is an example of sustainability?
Reducing the need for travel by using teleconference
Match each scenario of unfair labor practice by a union to its category
Refusing to bargain in good faith- A union representative has been refusing to meet with company representatives despite several requests Charging excessive membership fees - A union's dues are not affordable to most workers in the company Featherbedding- A union insists an employer pay salaries to workers laid off when the jobs were rendered obsolete by new technology
Span of control for managers
Managers have responsibility for many employees
Unemployment Compensation Amendments (UCA), 1992
Mandates federal taxes on retirement plan proceeds
The Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA), 1996
Mandates that employers afford the same resources to medical and mental health benefits
Which options are examples of talent management?
Marcia is introduced to the company and is educated on company policies and procedures Miguel creates a program to engage employees by providing information necessary to effectively navigate the new organization Iris looks at the long-term planning by developing future leaders Consuela focuses on the best available candidate after an employee leaves the company
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act
Mass layoffs
What are material safety data sheets (MSDS)?
Material safety data sheets are sheets in which hazardous substances must be properly evaluated, classified, and labeled
Direct patent infringement
Matsuri patents a new type of lens for digital cameras. A colleague copies her designs and tries to sell it to another manufacturer; Jennifer changes the text on a patented logo to make it her own.
Which activities are included in a typical project management process?
Removing barriers to the teams progress, communicating information and allocating resources, comparing work progress to a planned schedule, gaining support from senior mgmt., and assessing results against stated objectives
What does networking do?
Networking permits individuals to build beneficial connections with people who may be able to help them obtain employment. At networking events, an individual will attempt to speak to as many people as possible to establish relationships
Match the type of compensation:
Nonfinancial- recognition awards and redefining a job to suit the talents of an individual Financial- membership in a profit-sharing program and time off with pay, in addition to vacation time Benefits- retirement funds
On-the-job training
Nontraditional training that allows employees to adapt and learn while they are carrying out their tasks
Blended learning
Nontraditional training that allows organizations to provide a range of solutions for each learning task
Technology-driven training
Nontraditional training that can be widely distributed at relatively low costs
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act
Notice for mass layoffs, plant closings, and sales of businesses
Downsizing must be done carefully to comply with federal and state law to avoid lawsuits. Match each situation with the federal act that's designed to prevent it.
OWBPA- a large number of senior employees slated for retirement are selected for termination ADA- a disproportionate number of disabled employees are selected for termination WARN- employees are given insufficient notice of a mass layoff HIPAA- an employee is not allowed to keep insurance coverage when changing jobs COBRA- Employees are not notified of continued health coverage after a layoff
What is disparate treatment?
Occurs when an employer treats protected classes differently than other employees
What is a semi-structured interview?
Occurs when interviewers have guided conversations with applicants that involve both borad questions and new questions that come about from the discussions that take place
Match each type of audit to its description:
Off-site review -a review focused on all relevant AAP documentation to ensure validity, Compliance review- a review focused on all hiring and record- keeping practices, Compliance check - a shortened review of hiring and record-keeping practices, Focused review- an audit restricted to one or more aspects of the program
Which examples demonstrate correct ways to conduct termination meetings?
Offering reemployment suggestions to the departing employee Responding to all questions from the departing employee
what is on-boarding?
On-boarding, also known as organizational socialization, is the process by which new hires obtain the knowledge, skills, and behaviors they need in order to become valued productive contributors to the company
where employees feel comfortable strategies is used to establish a relationship Which of the following communication speaking directly with management about problems and suggestions?
Open door policy
The Federal Drug-Free workplace Act requires any organization covered by the Act to make a good faith effort to maintain a drug-free workplace. What must employers do to comply with the Drug-Free Workplace Act?
Report any workplace-related drug convictions or arrests to the appropriate federal agency Launch a drug awareness and education program Require any workplace-related criminal drug statute convictions be reported Circulate an antidrug policy statement
What are the key considerations when choosing a payroll system?
Reporting requirements Reducing the number of human errors Providing a secure payroll environment Being compatible with other organizational systems Providing precise reports to management
Match the purposes with the related key aspects of an affirmative action plan:
Reporting systems - a mechanism for updating mgmt. on program effectiveness, Identification of problem areas - Analyzes employment process to determine where barriers to equal opportunity exist, Action-oriented programs - identifies and plans corrective action to placement goal obstacles, Internal audits- reviews employment activity actions taken to improve equal opportunity results
1936: Public Contracts Act (PCA: Walsh-Healey Act)
Required contractors to pay prevailing wages
1936: Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA)
Required employers to contribute a percentage of payroll to an unemployment insurance fund
1963: Equal Pay Act
Required that employees performing substantially similar or identical work be paid the same wage or salary rate
1975: Albemarle Paper V. Moody
Required that employment tests be validated Subjective superior ratings aren't sufficient validation Criteria must be tied to job requirements
1978: Pregnancy Distribution Act (PDA)
Required that pregnancy be treated the same as any other short term disability
Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), 2002
Requires 401(k) and other plan administrators to provide advance notice of blackout periods
84. A form of analytics that combines both ongoing feedback analytics and hiring analytics for improved performance is known as:
Optimization Analytics
Performance occurs on three levels for successful organization. HR professionals need to effectively manage these three aspects of organizational performance so that organizational goals are met. Match the contributing factor to the associated performance level
Organization processes: inputs and outputs and job design Organizational strategy- Culture and policies Individual contributions- feedback and performance goals
Pension Protection Act (PPA), 2006
Requires employers to fully fund their pension plans
an organization and take it to the next level. involves crafting techniques, policies and systems to fix issues within
Organizational Development
What are the primary functions of human resource development, or HRD, programs?
Organizational development Training and development Knowledge management Career development
Pension Protection Act (PPA) 2006
Requires employers to fully fund their pension plans to avoid future cash shortfalls
Human resource development helps ensure an organization's employees can meet its objectives. What are the key domains essential to HRD?
Organizational learning Organizational performance Organizational change
What does the Davis Bacon Act require?
Requires employers to pay laborers at construction sites at least the prevailing wage and fringe benefits that individuals working in similar projects in the area are receiving.
Davis-Bacon Act (DBA), 1931
Requires federal contractors to pay prevailing wages and benefits
Patient Protections and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
Requires group health plans to provide coverage to dependent children up to age 26
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 1974
Requires organizations to disclose financial information about pension and benefit plans
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA), 2001
Requires that limits to employer contributions be the same as those for profit-sharing plans; allows employees to defer part of their pretax pay
The Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA, 1996
Requires that plans that do have limits must include mental health benefits
Math the scenario of unfair labor practices by unions to their categories
Requiring employers to discriminate- a union requires union approval for any hiring by the company Restraining employees- a group of union representatives makes sure of the way employees vote on issues Retaining employers- a union refuses to meet with the plant manager about a contract
What is a histogram?
Resembling a bar chart, a histogram incorporates bars and groups numbers into ranges. A histogram includes a horizontal distribution of data and is designed to give a visual representation of a certain distribution.
Which examples describes types of opinion surveys used to determine employee satisfaction levels?
Respondents write answers to closed-ended questions about how well teams communicate, an interviewer asks an employee how managers at the company can motivate employees, employees answer job satisfaction questions on the company's intranet, and a facilitator makes notes on a group's perceptions about the company's reward program
High retention organizations have a number of things in common. The key for successful retention is to develop the optimal combination of elements for the organization in question.
Meaningful work- employees feel valued in their roles; Leaders value all jobs in the company Workplace flexibility- a variety of work schedules are available Effective onboarding- new employees are engaged and happy in their roles Fair compensation- salary, bonuses, incentives, and perks are equivalent to other organizations in the area Engaged leadership- managers connect with their staff members and are committed to them; managers demonstrate respect and belief in employees' abilities Sufficient resources- staff members are supported with the right technology and other assets to help them succeed
What is predictive validity?
Measure of whether an individual will possess the required skills, knowledge or behavioral traits in the future
Mediation and arbitration are two commonly used ADR approaches. Match the approaches to their characteristics.
Mediation- A trained person works with both parties to solve a dispute; The settlement can't be imposed on either party Arbitration- The dispute is submitted to an impartial person for a ruling; Before a decision is made, the parties decide whether the decision will be binding
Which examples is the suitability of a candidate gauged appropriately?
Meeting equal opportunity objectives to successfully hire a diverse workforce Allowing candidates to meet with current employees to gain multiple perspectives of the organization Checking a test's ability to analyze significant parts of the job being tested
Learning organizations encourage learning throughout the whole organizational system. Which are the basic disciplines that distinguish learning org from traditional orgs?
Mental models System thinking Team learning Shared vision Personal mastery
A learning organization is one where learning is achieved by the whole organizational system. Which options are basic disciplines that distinguish learning organizations from traditional organizations?
Mental models Systems thinking Personal mastery Team learning Shared vision
Business integration
Merging customer relationship management and enterprise resource planning systems
Growth
Middle management evolves, and budget and performance systems are in place
Match each retention program implementation step with the activity it involves:
Monitor and develop response strategies- prevent turnover Analyze the organization- access the strengths and weaknesses of the workforce and the climate of the working environment Implement good hiring and screening practices- hire the right person for the right jobs the first time Instill program responsibility- establish a culture of retention Ensure key elements of high-retention organizations exist- become a high-retention organization
The key purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act is to ensure that employers provide a work environment that is free of recognized hazards. Which scenarios are covered under the OSH Act?
Most employers and their employees Any private sector employer engaged in a business that affects commerce Employees in manufacturing
HR plays an important role after the discovery process step in the employment litigation process.Match each remaining step in the process with the activities HR performs during that step.
Motion to dismiss- Usually no involvement Summary judgment- Gather facts to support the motion to dismiss; Sign an affidavit Pretrial and trial- Schedule witnesses; Provide advice on employee-witness testimony
Which steps are involved when managing a project?
Motivate team members, identify issues and clarify the problem, monitor work quality and progress, select and lead team members, and measure success
An employer states they will discharge any employee who gives testimony under the NLRA. What type of unfair labor practice is demonstrated by the employer?
Retaliating against NLRB activity
Which examples apply the guidelines for gauging the suitability of candidates?
Retesting new employees at a later date to determine test accuracy Ensuring test instructions are easy to understand to determine test consistency
Explain the behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) system and what it focuses on:
BARS is a system that focuses on behaviors that are necessary for performing a task successfully, rather than evaluating more analytical employee habits. Instead of appraising general behaviors that are required to be present n all employees, BARS examines precise behaviors that are unique to a certain job or task
HR professionals in many organizations are expected to develop, administer, update, and evaluate an ethically sound executive compensation program. Match the components of an executive compensation package to their examples.
Base salary- Being guaranteed payment regardless of performance Annual incentives and bonuses- Being paid an additional 35% of base salary if the company turns a profit Long-term incentives- Being offered shares in the company's stock Perks- Being given access to the company's limousine service Parachutes- Being given a special payment when a merger results in the executive's job loss
The PHR exam take place twice a year, on these dates:
Between Dec 1 and Feb 15/May 1 and Jul 15
After a bill has been scheduled on the "legislative calendar" and debated at the floor of the House or senate and amended accordingly, what are the next four steps:
Bill is voted on by one of the chambers, bill passed by one chamber and referred to the other, conference committee reconciles the differences between the 2 chambers, bill passed by both sent to President for approval.
Your SWOT analysis results remain a mere piece of information until they are fully approved by the:
CEO of the company or a delegate
You want to open with a behavioral-based question. Which is the most appropriate to ask first?
Can you tell me about a time when you encountered a difficult customer? When did this happen?
Match phrases of change management process with the activities that take place during that phase.
Change phase- communicate a vision and plan for change and secure commitment and involve people and implement the plan, Pre-change phase - identify issues, define the strategy, and prepare the team and develop a change management and communication plan, Post change phase- monitor and evaluate the change process and sustain the change and make it part of the organization's culture
Match the phrases of the change management process to their activities:
Change- provide the necessary training and answer question honestly, Prechange - assess the organizations' readiness for change, Post change - collect data and analyze employee feedback
The difference between essential and nonessential functions is important and HR professionals should ensure that the distinction is made clear. AT a certain magazine publisher, the purpose of the copy editor position is to ensure a magazine's text is readable, accurate, and ready for publication. Which job functions are essential for this position?
Check that the publisher's house style is consistently applied Correct grammar and spelling Ensure facts check out
1947: Portal to Portal Act
Clarified the definition of hours worked for FLSA
HR professionals need to understand how to manage a variety of projects effectively. Match steps typically followed in managing a project with actions associated with the steps:
Clarify issues and gain support- Identify the problem that needs to be addressed Plan- Select a Program manager Implement - Motivate team members Oversee, control, and adjust - Monitor work quality and progress Assess results - Identify the project benefits
Which statements meet key hiring criteria development considerations?
Clearly outline requirements and responsibilities of the position, Encourage all good candidates to apply, Characterize criteria in terms of abilities, Write criteria in simple, straightforward language, Use as many criteria as possible
What do coaching workshops do?
Coaching workshops place workers under the supervision of a counselor in order to equip them with the tools to solve problems that may be inhibiting their work capacities
match the requirements to the type of test that should be used to measure it?
Cognitive ability- analyze structural integrity Personality- work well with team members Aptitude- multitask in a busy office Integrity- handle cash Physical- stand stationary for long periods of time
Nondiscriminatory, standardized tests can go a long way toward helping HR professionals identify qualified, and even superior, job candidates. Choose the appropriate test to administer for each job requirement.
Cognitive ability- provide nutritional counseling, Personality- champion new products, Aptitude- ability to learn another programming technique, Integrity- make daily bank deposits, Physical- use ladders to ascend and descend warehouse space
What are the factors that make performance management successful?
Communicating clear expectations Engaging and motivating employees Using a systematic approach
Which actions are performed during the directing function of organizational management?
Communicating, Motivating, Leading, Supervising
What does a Financial statement analysis do:
Comparing annual gross profits for a specific period of time
how do you conduct a cost benefit analysis?
Comparing gains to expenses
There are a number of approaches HR professionals can take when conducting job analyses. Which methods are commonly used?
Complete a survey that includes informing on the duties, daily routine, and skills required to perform the job Directly observing employees in the performance of their duties and recording observations Observe and record examples of particularly effective or ineffective behavior while performing a job Interview job occupants about their role and their immediate supervisor to validate the findings
Effective affirmative action plans contain a number of key development aspects that together outline exactly what is being done to promote affirmative action in a particular organization?
Organizational profile- compile details of each dept, job title, and the number of males and females in ethnic groups in the organization Workforce and job group analysis- list all job titles in each group and the percentages of females and minorities for each group Placement goals- create objectives to increase an organization's representation of minorities and women Availability analysist- determine the number of minorities and women with the right skills that can be employed or promoted
What is organizational restructuring?
Organizational restructuring is when the structure of the organization is changed in some manner, such as through redesigning jobs and changing reporting relationships, reducing the number of hierarchial levels, or implementing a workforce reduction.
For an organization to be successful, performance needs to occur on three levels.
Organizational strategy- Culture and Strategy Organizational processes- Workflow and Job design Individual contributions- Performance goals and Knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA)
The office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has the power to conduct an AAP audit each year. It has received a complaint about a certain organization regarding discriminiatory practices. Match the description of the potential types of activities the OFCCP could undertake to audit the activity, with the type of audit it represents.
Compliance check- It asks for a review of the organization's hiring and record keeping practices Off-site review- it requires the organization to send all relevant information on its AAP to the OFCCP to be analyzed Compliance review- It arranges for a detailed review of all aspects of the organization's AAP Focused review- It conducts an on-site review of the goals of the organization's AAP program and the results for the last 2 years
What should you consider when deciding on which payroll system to implement?
Compliance with tax rules and reporting requirements Bulletproof security
How is compa-ratio performed?
Computed by dividing the pay level of an employee by the midpoint on the salary range
Illness and disorders caused by the workplace are a challenge for organizations and their employees. Match each set of symptoms to the illness.
Computer vision syndrome- blurred distant vision, blurred near vision, dry or irritated eyes, headaches, neck aches, and backaches Sick building syndrome- acute discomfort, headache, dry cough, dry or itchy skin, dizziness or nausea, sensitivity to odors, and eye, nose, or throat irritations Lower back strains- Pain, limited motion, muscle spasms, and weakness of the lower back muscles Musculoskeletal disorder- tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome
Determine training requirements
Concluding that the sales team requires additional communication training
which elements should promotional guidelines contain?
Conditions for choosing external candidates Benefits of the policy Commitment to professional growth and advancement Clear definition of internal promotion
Who conducts panel interviews?
Conducted by a group of individuals from the organization that may consist of managers, Human Resources Representatives, and other future team members, in order to better evaluate whether or not a candidate is suitable.
Which approaches are suitable for evaluating training?
Considering the environment, since not every location is conducive to training and learning Determining whether there was a net dollar payback for the organization Using surveys to gather training feedback Using 360-degree feedback to see whether learners and their peers, subordinates, and superiors feel they have improved because of the training Using a test before the training to gather a baseline of skills of the learners Analyzing the performance reviews to see if there are improvements
Which of the following doesn't apply when carrying out strategic work planning?
Contacting management for help
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
Contains implications for reporting, disclosure, auditing procedures, and fraud
Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX),2002
Contains whistleblower provisions to help protect employees
The steps in a typical selection process might vary from organization to organization, but these are some common components.
Contingent offer- make an offer based on preliminary checks, Skill testing- objectively assess a candidate, Interviewing- examine a candidate's skills, experience, and interests in detail, Application assessment- eliminate candidates who do not meet eligibility requirements, Formal offer- make an offer once all requirements are met
Severance packages can cover a wide range of benefits. You need to consider precisely what to offer to be competitive in your industry.
Continued benefits Favorable reference Obligation release Organizational property
Severance packages can cover a wide range of benefits. You need to consider precisely what to offer to be competitive in your industry.Which benefits are ones that employers would commonly consider?
Continued benefits Favorable reference Obligation release Organizational property
What is the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)?
Continues health care benefits for employee and dependent if job loss or decrease hours
HR professionals should be aware of the most common unlawful employment practices that can result in civil and criminal penalties. Which actions demonstrate unlawful employment practices?
Continuing the employment of an unauthorized employee Failing to retain current employees' I-9 forms Making it a regular practice to not require identity documents for employees
HR professionals should be aware of the most common unlawful employment practices that can result in civil and criminal penalties. Which actions demonstrate unlawful practices?
Continuing the employment of an unauthorized employee Making it a regular practice to not require identity documents for employees Failing to retain current employees I-9 forms
Which plans provide qualified deferred compensation?
Contribution plans where employer and employee pay into the employee's retirement plan Plans that allow employees nearing retirement to reduce their working hours Benefit plans that use formulas to determine the amount of each employee's benefit Plans that help employees save for education Plans where benefits are determined using a hypothetical pension account
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
Covers entitlements and obligations surrounding military leave
When planning and executing the implementation stage of a training program, what should you do?
Create a pilot program Update the current content Book the facilities and equipment Consider the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Which activities can help you with the management function of planning?
Create an action plan and implement it, Evaluate the action plan and take corrective action, Establish objectives and identify alternatives
Whether strategic, tactical, or operational; planning is an important activity that ensures effective use of resources to increase productivity, promote effectiveness, and meet customer satisfaction. Which activities should you engage in to help with planning?
Create statements of what needs to be achieved, Evaluate alternatives and choose the best course of action, Determine the activities to put the plan into action, Evaluate performance and take corrective measures
EO 12138 (year 1979)
Created the National Women's Business Enterprise Policy Required affirmative steps to promote and support women's business enterprises
1978: Civil Rights Reform Act
Created the Senior Executive Service Merit Systems Protected Board Office Personnel Management and the Federal Labor Relations Authority
The directing function of management provides guidance and inspiration to ensure people complete tasks properly and on time. Which statements describe key elements of the directing function?
Creating a shared understanding of action plans, policies and expectations, inspiring, encouraging, and stimulating people, Watching and directing the activities of a team
The directing function of management provides guidance and inspiration to ensure people complete tasks properly and on time. Which statements describe key elements of the directing function of management?
Creating a shared understanding of action plans, policies, and expectations, Watching and directing the activities of a team, Inspiring, encouraging, and stimulating people, Ensuring desirable actions from a team
In the learning and Development capacity, which of the following is not a PHR's responsibility?
Creating talent sourcing techniques
The two most important steps to be taken while recruiting candidates are:
Criteria determination and résumé screening
There are a number of tools that can be used to help track project success and key deliverables. Match each tool with its use:
Critical path method - Displays the time and cost required to complete a task Program evaluation and review technique (PERT) - Identifies all major project events Project schedule - Breaks down project activities into tasks with timelines Gantt chart- Shows the relationship between project tasks and time constraints
CRM, used as a tool for managing a company's interactions with both potential and current employees means:
Customer Relationship Management
What does DMAIC stand for and what is its purpose?
DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. DMAIC is the primary process that incorporates Six Sigma
What does DRIFT stand for, and what does it consist of?
DRIFT stands for "doing it right the first time" The need to conform to requirements, the management system is responsible for preventing errors, the standard of performance is zero defects, the quality costs are the standard of measurement
The Acquired Needs Theory was developed by:
David McClelland
Indirect patent infringement
David reassures a building company that its' acceptable to use a patented design; Lee enlists a plastic company to adapt the food packaging patent to his own company's needs; Dean takes a plant patent and persuades a researcher to use it in his own work; Makola sells a patented shirt design to a knowing manufacturer
Which activities demonstrate how the HR function contributes to organizational strategy?
Deal with safety compliance issues, Liaise with units to support corporate strategy for skills development, Plan human resources needs
Common law tort claims happens when an individual's safety, well-being, finances, enjoyment of property, or reputation are negatively affected. Match each situation with applicable common law tort.
Defamation- an employee falsely tells an interviewer that the VP engages in insider training Employee's duty of loyalty- an employee tells customers the product is not as good as their competitor's Negligent hiring and retention- a customer experiences verbal abuse from an employee known for this behavior Invasion of privacy- a company collects employees' financial data when they use online banking at work Fraudulent misrepresentation- an employee accepts a job after the interviewer falsely claims the company offers on-site childcare
Qualified deferred compensation plans are an important tool for attracting and retaining talent, and they provide tax deferrals for all those enrolled. Which plans are types of qualified compensation plans?
Defined benefits plans Defined contribution plans Cash balance plans Phased retirement plans Tax-deferred education account
Which guidelines should HR professionals follow in the outsourcing process?
Defining vendor expectations clearly in the contracting process Keeping adequate strategic and core capabilities in house Outsourcing non-critical HR functions to specialist contractors
Management by objectives (MBO)
Defining very specific and measurable goals with every employee and regularly discussing and reviewing progress toward the goals
Establishing clear and concise promotion criteria has a positive impact on employee retention. Match each key element of promotional guidelines to the statement found in a sample promotional policy it describes.
Definition of internal promotion- Advancement to a different position, which has increased responsibilities and adjustment to a higher salary level, Commitment from the organization- To ensure maximum opportunity for promotion within, Conditions for choosing external candidates - Sourcing for positions outside the company will occur when there is no qualified employee to accept the position, Benefits of the policy- Promotions serve as an incentive for better work performance, enhanced morale, and the creation of a sense of individual achievement and recognition
Career development and training
Delaney takes on an apprentice role with Hazel to improve her skills; Randal continues taking professional development courses to further his education
Match the definition of the hiring criteria to examples of the hiring criteria:
Demonstrated competency to do a task- ability to analyze industry research, Has performed the task previously- experience in publishing software, Familiarity gained from actual experience- knowledge of grant application process, References educational quals- background in business administration, Able or qualified to perform a task- capacity to lead meetings, Suitability for the task or role- aptitude for assessing the performance of others
Which of the following is not a component of an organization that can be addressed during an Organizational Analysis?
Department
Centralization of decision making
Departments don't have a lot of autonomy
Which characteristics are associated with a high-context culture?
Deriving meaning from gestures and body language Being a member of a specific social group or extended family that supports you throughout your life Having long-lasting relationships
You need to interview candidates for the position of senior market researcher. The successful candidate must be able to negotiate with clients about research projects and lead a team of diverse researchers. Which are appropriate behavioral-based interview questions?
Describe a time when you adapted to a wide variety of people by accepting or understanding their perspectives, Can you tell me how you successfully negotiated a research project with a client in the past
What is a techno-structural intervention?
Describes a technique in which an organization redesigns and restructures by implementing more efficient methods. They represent a type of organization development intervention that focuses on how to most efficiently incorporate and use a piece of technology to maintain maximum productivity.
Employer branding is an important and effective tool used by HR professionals to attract high-quality job candidates. Which activities are examples of promoting and positioning an employer brand?
Describing a job's unique features Emphasizing various forms of compensation Promoting the benefits of the company's location Ensuring employees feel a connection to the brand
Employer branding is an important and effective tool used by HR professionals to attract high-quality job candidates. Which activities are examples of promoting and positioning an employer brand?
Describing a job's unique features Promoting the benefits of the company's location Emphasizing various forms of compensation
Which techniques are appropriate for analyzing jobs?
Determine which behaviors are effective and ineffective when performing the job Interview immediate supervisor of someone performing a job to validate observations
Which examples demonstrate roles played by HR when an organization is facing structural changes?
Determining the skill set gap if a company sells off one of its business units Helping perform due diligence concerning HR impacts before two companies are integrated Analyzing and planning employment conditions when the company restructures and streamlines its global operations
The ADDIE (Assessment, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) training development model helps ensure that employee training activities and strategies align with and complement organizational goals. Which steps are performed when designing training?
Determining training objectives Identifying necessary content Identifying the target audience Choosing an instructional designer
Which activity is involved in the HR functional area of employee labor relations?
Developing workplace policies and procedures to enhance employer-employee relations
There are many benefits of following best practices when implementing discipline in the workplace. In which cases have the best practices been implemented?
Disciplinary actions will be relative to the nature of the infringement All employees sign the employee handbook indicating they have read and understood policies HR is aware of a witness to an employee destroying company property Immediate investigations of workplace disturbances will take place The consequence for stealing is dismissal, no exceptions
What are discretionary benefits?
Discretionary benefits are benefits that employers choose to provide in order to attract, motivate, and retain their workforce; they are not mandated by law. Discretionary benefits fall into three main categories: health and wellness, deferred compensation, and work-life equity
What is work-life equity?
Discretionary benefits that fall under the category of work-life equity help employees to manage their work schedule with their personal commitments, paid time off for holidays, short-term illness, vacation, jury duty, and bereavement, along with flexible work schedules and telecommuting options
A manager transfers all union employees in his department to less desirable positions. What type of unfair labor practice demonstrated by the manager?
Discriminating against employees
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws
Discrimination based on age, pregnancy, or disability; Unfair pay practices; sex based pay discrimination
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Discrimination based on sex, race, color, national origin, or religion; Segregation that deprives employment
Critical path method
Displays the time and cost required to complete a task
Contract negotiations are very important to both management and union representatives when bargaining. What are the common types of contract negotiations?
Distributive Integrative Interest-based
How is a Break even analysis determined?
Dividing the total costs by the total savings and multiplying by time constraints
Halo effect
During reviews, Naomi always seems to remember how well Anita managed an event a year ago
Employee involvement is usually accomplished through strategies that allow employees more responsibility and accountability for product development, operations, and delivery of products and services. Which strategies help to ensure employee involvement?
Organizing employee teams that are right for the team's activities Encouraging employees to contribute suggestions Offering employees a work schedule that suits their needs Redesigning a job to be in line with a company's objectives
National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
Organizing, bargaining with, or joining unions; unfair labor practices
It's important to include key components when extending written offers of employment. Which options are effective guidelines HR professionals should follow?
Outline job description and expectations Use a standard letter Provide compensation information Clearly explain contingencies
What are the characteristics of a successful mentoring program?
Effective coordination Support from leaders Effective assessment Trained mentors and matched participants
The employee handbook is one of the most important documents at an organization. It clarifies information for employees and can provide important legal protection. What are the legal criteria HR professionals need to understand when writing or reviewing employee handbooks?
Effective disclaimers Appropriate language Controlled distribution
Hersey-Blanchard's situational leadership theory
Effective leaders adjust their leadership styles according to the maturity of the staff and the task itself
Hersey-Blanchard's situational leadership theory
Effective leaders adjust their leadership styles according to the maturity of the staff and the task itself; as employees become more mature, the leadership approach should be more relationship-focused as opposed to task-focused
Which activities are associated with implementing an affirmative action plan?
Outlining how the program will be monitored and reviewed, Establishing objectives to increase the number of women and minorities in the workplace, Assigning responsibility for program tasks and results, Providing a description of the problem and how the organization plans to address it
Match each flowchart symbol to its meaning
Oval- represents the start and end of a process Rectangle - represents the activities carried out during the process Triangle- represents decision points Arrow- links symbols and shows direction Circle - indicates a certain sequence of steps continues on another page
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is the broadest piece of legislation in the US. What are some key provisions in the FLSA?
Overtime is calculated at one-and-one-half times an employee's regular rate Time spent traveling in connection with work activities is considered work time Employees must be paid a minimum of $7.25 per hour
Match common bargaining strategies to descriptions
Parallel or pattern- A union uses the gains of negotiations with one employer in other negotiations Multi-employer or coalition- The union negotiates with a number of employers acting jointly in a regional area Multi-unit or coordinated- Several unions represent different bargaining units in the same organization Single-unit- A specific union negotiates with a specific employer
What is the Title VIII of the SOX?
Part of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that provides protections for corporate whistleblowers and describes the penalties for interfering with fraud investigations
What does the Labor Management Relations Act (LMRA) focus on?
Passed in 1947, the Labor Management Relations Act (LMRA) focuses on union activities that qualify as unfair labor practices. This is also known as the Taft-Hartley Act.
High-retention organizations have a number of things in common. The key for successful retention is to develop the optimal combination of elements for the organization in question. Match each retention driver to the example of its successful application.
Effective onboarding - New employees are engaged and happy in their roles Fair compensation- Salary, bonuses, incentives, and perks are equivalent to other organizations in the area Sufficient resources- Staff members are supported with the right technology and other assets to help them succeed Workplace flexibility- A variety of work schedules are available Engaged leadership- Managers connect with their staff members and are committed to them Meaningful work- Employees feel valued in their roles
What is the goal of the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMDRA)?
Passed in 1959, the goal of the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMDRA) was to protect employees from corrupt unions.
What are the primary objectives of total quality management?
Eliminate waste Identify customers and satisfy the needs Foster teamwork and pride Develop an environment that promotes creativity Detect and eliminate problems that interfere with quality
1965: Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
Eliminated national origin, race, and ancestry as bars to immigration. Set immigration goals for reunifying families and preference for specialized skills
A PHR's role in establishing a relationship between employers and employees is the focus of?
Employee and Labor Relations
In which areas can you help new employees with relocation-related stresses?
Employee onboarding programs Job-specific orientation Communication of relocation policies Provision of logistical support
Which options are examples of the type of data that must be included in an employee master file?
Employee's date of birth Form 1099, when applicable Tax and payroll data The employer's quarterly federal tax return Employee's pay rate
An employee writes damaging articles about the company in the local newspaper. Which common law tort applies?
Employee's duty of loyalty
Which components must be included in the employee master files?
Employee's name Tax and payroll data Form 1099, when applicable Organizational payroll data
Boycott
Employees and consumers refuse to buy products from a company or to patronize its business in any way
Copeland "Anti-kickback" Act, 1934
Employees are prevented from giving federal contractors or subcontractors a kickback
Focus group
Employees are randomly selected to participate to provide feedback on a policy change; The facilitator does not represent either management or employees
Positive employee relations help organizations remain union-free. Which examples demonstrate effective strategies for building positive employee relations?
Employees feel that management is agreeable to reasonable requests for work hour changes A general manager requires the filling out of late arrival forms by all employees regardless of their role and position in the department A manager surveys a department to gauge employee satisfaction
Illegal strike
Employees go on strike without approval from the union
Start-up
Employees multitask, and no internal systems are in place
Davis-Bacon Act, 1931
Employees of federal contractors must be paid prevailing wages for the area
Sometimes union launch a targeted campaign against the employer to pressure it into signing a neutrality or cooperation agreement under which the employer agrees not to resist the organizing attempt. What examples show common requirements of a cooperation agreement between a union and employer?
Employees sign and date authorization cards All employees are in attendance at the monthly union meeting A union representative compiles a list of all employee email addresses
Legal strike
Employees stop work at a company when the company refuses to cooperate with the collective bargaining process
What are Employee Assistance Programs?
Employer-sponsored benefit programs that are used to provide help for employees who are experiencing difficulties in the areas of anxiety, depression, marital or family relationship problems, legal issues, and financial concerns
What happens under the Overtime Law?
Employers must pay nonexempt employees overtime pay at the rate of one and one-half times an individual's regular rate of pay for any hours worked in excess of 40 hours of work in a single workweek
The pay structure defines the base salary and the salary range for each position in an organization. Match components of pay structures to their descriptions.
Pay grades - Groups jobs with similar values Pay ranges- Establishes the upper and lower limits of job groups Broadbanding- Reduces levels in a job hierarchy Compa-ratio- Compares an employer's base pay to the midpoint of the pay range Range spread- Provides the dollar range for a job
Although the HRCI accepts only one currency, payment may be made using all of the following except:
Paypal
Which do you think are advantages of using a traditional interview format?
People know it and are therefore comfortable with it It allows for many questions to be asked in a relatively short period of time Some traditional questions can demonstrate a candidate's fit with the position
Vacant top management positions are best filled with:
People with a high sense of achievement
Tax Reform Act, 1986
Enacts new limits on salary deferral contributions and restrictions for retirement savings
Performance management systems help focus on results, align organizational activities with goals, and invest in a long-term view of the organization. What are the factors that make the performance management successful?
Engaging and motivating employees Using a systematic approach Communicating clear expectations
The primary objective of the Society for Human Resource Management's decision to invest in industrial relations is to:
Enhance PHR's reputation as a valid profession
Sequence the activities performed when implementing recruitment methods?
Ensure key stakeholders understand rationale Develop action plans for HR team Support individuals involved in the plans Determine whether goals are being met
Which documents should be kept in employee personnel files?
Performance evaluations Disciplinary actions Resumes Salary changes
A job description formalizes all the pertinent information of a job. Which elements are commonly included in a job description?
Performance standards Required knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes Prerequisite and desirable criterion Duties required to carry out the role Duties helpful in the role
studying and analyzing employee behavior with the goal of determining 69. The process of whether their performance meets the organization's standards is a/an:
Person Analysis
How can companies build effective employee relations?
Ensure trustful employee-management relationships Provide opportunities for employees to communicate with management Recognize employees for performance Encourage employee involvement in the company
Positive employee relations can be challenging to incorporate into any organization's culture. Which strategies help build effective employee relations?
Ensuring continuous communication Providing meaningful recognition Ensuring employee-management cooperation Encouraging employee involvement
Performance appraisals must be completed in a way that respects both employees' rights and related employment legislation. What are some legal considerations when performing appraisals?
Ensuring equitable appraisals Title VII Civil Rights Act Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidelines (EEOC) Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
HR professionals should be familiar with the requirements of the employment eligibility verification process done through Form I-9. Which employer activities ensure compliance with Form I-9 requirements?
Ensuring that an employee signs and dates the form Reviewing original employee eligibility documentation Using the form to reverify an employee's authorization to work in the US Making the forms available for government inspection Using the form to update an employee's surname
Which techniques are used for employer branding efforts?
Ensuring the company's people live the brand Using marketplace tools such as campaigns to create a positive company image Promoting the wage or price a new hire would receive
Seme of the factors a company must consider while performing a Task Analysis are:
Environmental conditions. Available equipment
EEOC stands for:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Career mobility
Pierre transfers to the sales team to gain customer-facing skills; Consuela receives a promotion since she has proven herself ready for more
1978: Revenue Act
Established Section 125 and 401(k) plans for employees
1974: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Established requirements for pension, retirement, and welfare benefit plans including medical, hospital, accidental death and dismemberment, and unemployment benefits.
1952: Patent Act
Established the U.S Patent and Trademark Office
1869: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Established to study industrial accidents and maintain accident records
The controlling process is a continuous process. With this function, management can anticipate future problems. Which steps are involved in the controlling function of management?
Establishing performance standards, Measuring actual performance, Comparing actual performance against standards, taking corrective action
Tax Reform Act, 1986
Places limits on salary deferral contributions
Tax Reform Act, 1986
Places limits on salary deferral contributions; enacts new limits on salary deferral contributions and restrictions for retirement savings
Formal appraisals should be a summary of the regular feedback employees have received throughout the year. Which guidelines should you follow when preparing for and conducting an appraisal meeting?
Plan the meeting in advance Ask the employee to fill out a self-evaluation form Avoid being judgmental when delivering feedback Create an action plan that's workable
Employees should receive periodic appraisals throughout the year. Which guidelines should you follow when preparing for an conducting an appraisal meeting?
Plan the meeting in advance Have the employee fill out a self-evaluation form Establish an action plan that is reasonable Be objective when providing feedback
Most job interviews, regardless of their technique, include key components. Match key activities to the stages involved in interviewing a candidate.
Establishing rapport- create a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere during the interview, Providing a realistic picture- give the candidate an accurate description of what its like to work for the company, Planning- review the job description to determine KSAs required and develop interview questions, Asking questions- plan how to ask for information to determine job suitability, Taking notes and summarizing- write down relevant points from the interview and explain the next step in the process, Listening and observing- pay attention to the candidate's body language as well as their responses to questions
Which methods are commonly used to perform a financial analysis for program-related decision making?
Estimate return on investment, review financial statements, perform a cost-benefit analysis, and use a break-even approach
What does total quality management do?
Evaluates and changes an organization's dominant attitudes and culture if they are incongruent with the needs of customers
Which activity is involved in the HR functional area of human resources development?
Evaluating performance to ensure employees have the right knowledge, skills, and abilities
What are individual performance-based pay plans and what are some examples?
Examples of individual performance-based pay plans are piece rates, commission, and cash bonuses. These promote productivity (by 30%) but do not promote teamwork and may be difficult to measure
Some pension programs are nonqualified deferred compensation plans that provide tax benefits to only certain employees. Which plans are nonqualified plans?
Excess deferral plans Top hat plans Rabbi trusts
Sam has his eye on a supervisory role in his company even though this is his first job after college. He engages a coach to help him with the practical skills he needs to excel. He also enlists a mentor to help him with his career development. Which adult learning characteristic is Sam lacking?
Experience
Which components should be in a job description?
Explanation of how the position fits within the hierarchy, quals and skills, overview of the primary reason for the job, and prioritized list of relevant responsibilities
Walsh-Healy Act, 1936
Extends prevailing wage protection to suppliers for the federal government
Service Contract Act, 1936
Extends prevailing wage rates to service providers with contracts with the federal government
Making the mistake of short-listing candidates who overstuff their résumés with keywords is a result of:
False negatives
When a PHR makes the flawed decision of selecting less qualified or unqualified candidates for short-listing, the PHR is a victim of:
False positives
Which regulation allows employees unpaid leave for the birth of a child or the arrival of an adopted or fostered child?
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), 1993
Staff meeting
Feedback from employees is gathered on a regular basis; Team members informally express ideas and concerns
Once the NLRB grants an election, there are ground rules employers must follow. Which employer actions follow these rules?
Filing a list of eligible bargaining unit employees with the NLRB Making election information available on company premises Campaigning to its employees during work time up to 24 hours prior to the election
Which are effective strategies for asking questions in a behavioral-based interview?
Find out what candidates' roles and responsibilities were in a specific situation, Ask candidates to explain what results they achieved in a given situation, Make use of open-ended questions to learn more about a candidates' past behavior, Find out exactly how candidates responded in a given situation
There are three common benefit formulas used to determine contributions to defined benefit plans. Match each formula to its example.
Flat-dollar formula- Paying $70 per month for each year of service Career-average formula -Paying 5% of each year's earnings; Multiplying 2% of the career-average earnings by each year of service to get the payment Final-pay formula- Paying benefits based on average earnings during a specific five-year period
Using the ADDIE model to analyze the performance of the learners as a group. Sequence the key stages of a needs assessment.
Gather information Determine training requirements Propose solutions Calculate the cost Choose and implement training
Sequence the stages of needs assessment
Gather information about performance issues Determine the training requirements Propose solutions, like hiring a third party to develop specific training programs Determine how much the training solutions will cost Choose the training solution and implement it
Which statements describe key activities of HR's functional strategy that support the organization's strategic plan?
Gathering data on skill requirements, retention rates, and personnel productivity to maximize resources and reduce production waste Dealing with compliance issues related to government regulations
Order the steps from first to last in the disciplinary process
Gauge the employee's understanding of the job's behavioral requirements Speak to the employee to remind of expected behavior Request the employee sign a warning document Suspend an employee for a specific length of time Terminate the employee's employment
The types of activities that organizations include in their risk management process vary with the size of the organization. Match each step in the risk management process to the activity it involves
Review and modification- regularly review the organization's operational risks that could have serious impact on the organization's operations and business continuity Program implementation- ensure full support, cooperation, and endorsement from leaders Risk analysis and evaluation- audit, analyze, and evaluate operational risks that could have serious impact on the organization's operations and business continuity Risk identification- audit various functions and processes to gather useful information System development- identify key organizational priorities and challenges to understand the organization's intent for the system Monitoring and control- continuously observe compliance of workplace procedures to federal, state, and local regulations
HR professionals should be familiar with the requirements of the employment eligibility verification process done through for I-9. Which employer activities ensure compliance with Form I-9 requirements?
Reviewing original employee eligibility documentation Making the forms available for govt inspection Ensuring that an employee signs and dates the form Using the form to reverify an employee's authorization to work in the U.S.
A risk management process is the method an organization chooses to address negative events to avoid unwanted outcomes. Sequence the steps in the risk management process.
Risk identification Risk analysis and evaluation System development Program implementation Monitoring and control Review and medication
One important aspect of Business Management that should never be overlooked is:
Risk management
HR function
Salaries, allowances, and benefits data on all employees and Office supplies and equipment for the HR team
Which situations infringe on the Copyright Act?
Sandra's copyrighted training method for sales professionals is used by her company without a written contract Katerina's report on the effects of globalization on children's education, registered on January 2, 1990, is used by a training company in 2010 for a series of training programs on adapting to globalization Tyrone uses a skills management matrix available online for a training program for new employees with a copyright symbol
Herzberg's Motivation-hygiene theory
Satisfiers are factors that challenge employees, and dissatisfiers are factors that motivate
Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory
Satisfiers are factors that challenge people and dissatisfiers are factors that demotivate when they are not present
What are employers allowed to do when monitoring for workplace security and privacy?
Search employees' desks, purses, and backpacks Monitor e-mails Monitor computer hard drives Restrict cell phone camera usage Take video surveillance
workplace security involves the physical and procedural measures used to protect organizational assets. Which options are examples of measures organizations can use to protect their assets?
Security cameras Nondisclosure agreements Proper financial authorization and approval Antibullying policies
Risk is the potential that an action or infraction will lead to an undesired result, match each risk category to its example.
Security risks- theft of financial assets Workplace privacy risks- improper workplace-monitoring procedures Employee health and safety risks- ergonomic strains Business continuity risks- deliberate disruptions Compliance risks- sexual harrasment
Choose and implement training
Selecting the training and starting to employ instructors specialized in communications in sales
Esteem is classified into two categories:
Self-esteem and respect for others
Which actions taken by a company demonstrate key strategic restructuring initiatives?
Selling a business unit of the company to focus on core competencies Buying a competitor to take advantage of available synergistic opportunities Making strategic changes to the organization focused on reducing redundancies and controlling costs
There is not one best or most popular disciplinary process across organizations but many organizations may have a similar structure that includes five progressive steps. Place the steps involved in a disciplinary process in order.
Set up an open problem-solving session Speak to the employee about what standard of performance is acceptable Give the employee a formal notice to sign to ensure that performance levels are understood Require the employee to take a leave from work Immediately dismiss the employee from the company
You should be familiar with a number of severance packages to be competitive in your industry. Which options are common severance package benefits?
Severance pay Advances
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws
Sex-based pay discrimination, age or disability discrimination
Which incentives are examples of incentive pay plans commonly used to motivate employees?
Shared financial rewards Discretionary bonuses Direct cash payments based on performance
Income statement
Shows how much profit or loss an organization has made during a specific period
Gantt chart
Shows the relationship between project tasks and time constraints
Match each key component in the selection process with its example:
Skill testing- assessing aptitude, intelligence, and personality Contingent offer- making an offer that requires further candidate validation Interviewing- examining a candidate's skills, competencies, and key interests Formal offer- making an offer after an in-depth background check and all tests have been passed
Competencies are the KSAs and related personal attributes that, when combined, result in excellent performance in a certain area. Match each competency to an example:
Skill- excellence at proofreading and editing documents, Attribute- Easily builds rapport with customers, Ability- Multitasking in a busy office environment, Knowledge - Experience in database configuration
There are a number of benefits that are required by statute even if employers conduct needs assessments and deem some of them unnecessary. Match each program to the benefit it provides.
Social Security- Retirement income Medicare- Hospital care coverage Unemployment insurance- Wage replacement assistance Workers' compensation- Permanent disability income Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)- Group health care coverage for widowed dependents Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)- Extended leave for personal health threats
SHRM is the acronym for:
Society for Human Resource Management
McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y
Some managers believe that workers are motivated by lower-levels needs, where others assume workers have competitive spirit
What is a kinesthetic learner?
Someone who benefits most from participating in physical, hands-on activities
HR professionals and strategists should be familiar with the elements of organizational structure so that the right mix and extent of these elements can be included in the strategic planning process and implementation of strategy. Match each key element with its description:
Specialization of work -Tasks are subdivided into separate jobs; Centralization of decision making -Departments don't have a lot of autonomy; Degree of formalization of procedures and policies -There are many formal requirements; Chain of command for employees -The lines of authority are rigid; Span of control for managers -Managers have responsibility for many employees
Fiedler's contingency theory
Specific leadership styles are better for some situations than others
To ensure a positive organizational climate and the success of its employee relations program in creating one, its important for HR to monitor the attitudes, opinions, and satisfaction level of employees in the organization. Match methods for assessing employee relations in organizations to their examples.
Staff meeting- feedback from employees is gathered on a regular basis; team members informally express ideas and concerns Focus group- the facilitator does not represent either management or employees; employees are randomly selected to participate to provide feedback on a policy change Employee survey- employees are asked to answer online questions about the quality of management; employees are interviewed one-on-one about job satisfaction
The section of HRD that handles the deployment of competent employees to sections or branches where they are needed the most is:
Staffing issues
1964: Title VII of Civil Rights Act
Started the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of: RACE COLOR RELIGION NATIONAL ORGIN SEX
The key to a good cost-benefit analysis is to make sure that you include all the costs and benefits and properly quantify them. Match activities to the steps in a cost-benefit analysis.
Step 1: List and add all costs, Step 2: List and add all benefits, Step 3: Compare costs with benefits and make decision
Match the steps in the cost-benefit analysis:
Step 1: List and add all costs- List and add potential direct and indirect expenses, list and calculate opportunity and intangible expenses; Step 2: List and add all benefits- List and calculate non-monetary gains and calculate all potential tangible and intangible advantages; Step 3: Compare costs with benefits and make decisions - Choose the alternative with the highest surplus and compare expenses and advantages, and recommend a plan of action
Relationships between various functional depts and the HR functions are built on the 3 key roles it plays in the organization, strategic, administrative, and operational. Match each role with activities HR undertakes to collaborate with internal partners.
Strategic - involve employees to support strategy and assist goal and action plan development, Administrative - maintain employee records and deal with compliance issues, Operational - identify and recruit for workforce needs and maintain a productive work environment
98. A PHR has a record of the new policies and plans recently adopted by the company based on the PHR's recommendation. This is an important part of the
Strategic work planning process
Strategy evaluation
Strategies and performance are assessed and modified to ensure goals are met. (Ex. A. Measure revenues, profitability, customer satisfaction, and productivity to make sure they are meeting organizational goals)
Match each type of internal workforce assessment technique to its example.
Supply analysis - data is gathered on how many people have left the marketing department, Gap analysis- a third of the telemarketers are competent in the new database software, Demand anlaysis - skills and competencies are identified for a newly created job role
What are the key characteristics of a successful mentoring program?
Support Effective coordination Trained mentors and matched participants Effective assessment
During a recruitment exercise, a company promoted employee to replace outgoing one. The company succeeded in:
Taking care of the company's short-term needs
Identifying, attracting and employing the best candidates for an organization is one of the job descriptions assigned to which section of HR:
Talent Planning and Acquisition
Human Resource Management is regulated by:
The American Society for Personnel Administration
The Human Resource Certification Institute was previsouly known as:
The American Society for Personnel Administration Accreditation Institute
Vroom's Expectancy Theory
The decision to exert effort depends on anticipation, instrumentality, and valance
what does the drug free workplace Act of 1988 require?
The drug free workplace act of 1988 requires organizations to establish a drug-free workplace, provide a copy of this policy to their employees, and institute a drug awareness program
Chain of command for employees
The lines of authority are rigid
When do third-party interventions occur?
Third-party interventions occur when an agent is located outside of the organization mediates or manages disputing parties in problem solving
A person analysis focuses on employees and can be carried out in ____steps:
Three steps
Strictness
Tina creates new appraisal guidelines because she feels the current ones' standards are too low
What is Title 17 and what does it apply to?
Title 17 is a United States copyright law enacted in 1947. It applies to authorship of any tangible medium of expression. Specific works that fall under Title 17 are literary works, architectural works, motion pictures, and audio works.
Waht does Title VII of the CRA do?
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees from management decisions regarding their employment based on race, color, nationality or sex
Identify the key aims of the six sigma methodology
To apply the six sigma methodology to all processes in a unified approach To reduce defects and maximize value
Why was the Mental Health Parity Act (1996) put into place?
To ensure that large group health plans provide coverage for mental health care in the same manner that they provide coverage for physical health care, such as surgical and medical benefits
One purpose of organizational development is to enhance an organization's culture. What are the aims of an organization's culture?
To help facilitate organization-wide commitment To help shape behaviors To provide an organizational identity to its members To promote a more stable and predictable environment
Identify the main goals of the Six Sigma methodology.
To minimize mistakes and maximize value To apply the Six Sigma methodology to all processes in a unified manner
National Labor Relations Act
Unfair labor practices
What is a total rewards strategy used for?
Used to attract, motivate, engage and retain employees through compensation packages made up of pay, incentives, and benefits
Downsizing must be done carefully to comply with federal and state law to avoid lawsuits. Match each situation with the federal act that's designed to prevent it.
WARN- Employees are given insufficient notice of a mass layoff COBRA- Employees are not notified of continued health coverage after a layoff ADA- A disproportionate number of disabled employees are selected for termination OWBPA- A large number of senior employees slated for retirement are selected for termination HIPAA- An employee is not allowed to keep insurance coverage when changing jobs
Central tendency
Wendell rates Iris as an average performer across all aspects
During its analysis, an organization focuses on the numerical strength of its workforce. This area is otherwise known as:
Workforce quantity
When assessing its workforce, a company compiles a list of its staff and finds the average age of its employees. This is a typical example of a
a Skills gap analysis
Employment-at-will
a Veteran employee gives three weeks resignation notice; a company demotes a once-productive employee
What does a business impact analysis assess?
a business impact analysis (BIA) assesses the potential consequences of a disruption and collects information to develop recovery strategies
Finite temporary
a catering company hires and pays wait staff to serve at an annual charity event
Facilitated training is one of the advantages of:
a functional organizational structure
Blended training
a nontraditional method that allows organizations to provide a selection of solutions for each learning task
Single unit
a small business negotiates a new contract with a union representing electricians
Define power-coercive strategy?
a strategy to manage change that assumes that people are followers who will listen to authority and do as they are told. The power-coercive strategy says that not following change will be harmful to employees, who might be punished or even fired for failure to comply
What is offshore?
a type of outsourcing where the vendor is in a country far from the business
Industry-related development
analyzing new competitors entering the market
what is equal employment opportunity reporting?
annaul workforce data reporting required by the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) for all employers with one hundre or more employees and federal contractors with at least 50 employees and contracts of $50,000
Which of the following is not an acceptable means of identification at the examination center?
any ID from the government
Define competitive advantage?
anything that gives an organization an edge over its competitors
What does the Title I of the ADA do?
applies to employers with 15 or more employees and outlines legal protection for qualified employees with disabilities, including their legal right to reasonable accomodation in the workplace as long as it does not place an undue hardship on the employer
Registration for the HRCI examination costs:
approximately $500
Employees that are motivated by power and will do anything to have it are known to be:
arrogant and power drunk
The best time to start preparing for the PHR exam is:
as soon as you decide to take the exam
When you have employees that are motivated by achievement, the most effective way to bring the best out of them is:
assigning them difficult and achievable tasks
Workers compensation insurance
assist workers injured on the job by covering medical acre, part of lost wages, and permanent disability; provided by each state in the US and paid for by employers; pays benefits to workers injured on the job to cover permanent disability; receives immunity from civil lawsuits by employees by becoming a state-certified-self insurer
Performance
base pay increases depend on how well an employee does
What is quantitative forecasting?
based on raw mathematical data and previous trends, such as employee productivity and output. some common quantitative forecasting methods include: ratio analyses, trend analyses, turnover analyses, and probability model
What are qualitative methods based on?
based on things like observations, interviews, and case study analyses
When you protect your organization against both internal and external threats, you are working within the capacity of ________:
business management
Explain how cost per hire is calculated
calculated by adding together the external and internal recruiting costs and dividing the amount by the total number of new hires during a specific time period
Do not take the following inside the test center:
calculator, cell phone, purses
Consolidated omnibus budget reconciliation act (COBRA)
continuation of group health care benefits
what is a structured interview?
controlled by the interviewer, who has a list of specific, job-related questions prepared prior to the start of an interview
E-discovery
converting and housing all records electronically
Scatter diagrams
correlates one set of variables to another
When performing a cost-benefit analysis of a proposed project, what is a project worker's salary an example of?
cost
Registering for the PHR exam starts with:
creating a personal account
Board of directors
dealing with questionable executive compensation packages
Determine training requirements
deciding the team requires additional training in financial management
HR
defining stakeholders and responsibilities; ensuring adequate financial disclosure procedures
term
definition
Implementation
determine which types of skills and experience are required for each role
Time to start
determining the time from approval of requisition until an employee is on the job
Economic indicator
determining wages by region and occupation
The next step after identifying and assessing a potential candidate for specific competencies is:
developing and implementing succession strategies
Social security
disability income assistance
how do you calculate Return on investment
dividing the net profit by total investments (costs and expenditures) and multiplying the result by 100; estimating the monetary value of customer satisfaction
This organizational structure promotes swift responses to external changes such as financial crisis, union issues and other related challenges:
divisional
The divisional organizational structure is usually headed by:
divisional manager
Divided loyalties and poor coordination are some of the disadvantages of a:
divisional organizational structure
Incompatibility and promotion of office politics are two major downsides of a:
divisional organizational structure
This structure ensures that an organization is built on its core practices and values, passed down from one generation of employees to another:
divisional organizational structure
Range spread
dollar ranges are established for different roles
Companies and organizations establish many policies. Their policies may include all of the following:
dress code, internet usage, vacation time
When is due diligence performed and what is its purpose?
due diligence is typically performed when a company is buying another company (acquisition) and helps to uncover any potential liabilities or evaulate business and financial risk
Which options show how HR supports employees during the change process?
educating employees about the need for change, promoting employees participating in the change process, anticipating resistance and finding ways to deal with it
Bridging the gap between an employee's competence level and an organization's needs is handled by the ____ section of the HRD.
education and training
Hersey-Blanchard's situational leadership theory
effective leaders should adjust
Ensuring that employees work in a nontoxic environment and safeguarding their welfare is part of your job description as an:
employee advocate
Individualism vs collectivism
employees are rewarded for conformity to their groups
Uncertainty avoidance
employees are willing to take risks and open to unstructured situations
Compa-ratio
employees base pay is compared to the midpoint of the pay range
What is active listening?
engaged listening style that uses both auditory and visual information to consciously synthesize the speaker's body language and what they are saying
What does the Fair Labor Standard Act of 1938 (FLSA) do?
establishes standards for a minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, adn child labor standards. It generally covers employers with at least $500,000 of business each year.
Maslow's hierarchy focuses on all of the following employee needs:
esteem, love and physiological needs
Evaluation of a candidate's performance and capability is an integral part of what element of the succession planning process?
evaluating effectiveness
During the registration process, you are required to pay the following fees:
examination and application
The HR that is responsible for filling senior roles in an organization is a:
executive recruiter
Explain exempt position:
exempt positions do not fall under the FLSA regulations. These employees are paid on a salary basis and spend more than 50% of their work time performing exempt duties. Exempt level duties fall into three main categories: executive, professional and administrative
what are exits interviews?
exit interviews are interviews conducted to uncover and employee's reasons for parting ways with the organization
Budget planning and other related services are some of the areas of business management:
finance
The ___structure gives employees the freedom to make decisions without waiting on the organization:
flatarchy
a ___ organizational structure encourages better decision-making due to a lack of different levels within the structure:
flatarchy
Talent analytics is software designed:
for recruitment purposes
Exit interview
gathering information on organizational issues; reviewing details of departure for employees leaving the company
When drafting the deployment list, HR must consider criteria that include:
gender, region, and establishment type
McClelland's theory
high achievers are more concerned with personal achievement than the rewards with success and will seek out situations where they get feedback for their work
Some of the reasons why organizations invest heavily in and encourage mentorship are that it promotes:
higher employee retention, employee loyalty, and increased responsibilities
Which of the following is a functionality of Talent Analytics?
hiring analytics, ongoing feedback analytics and optimization analytics
The scope of HRD includes all of the following except:
hiring development
When a body is working consistently in alignment with its different systems, this is know as:
homeostasis
Explain external equity:
if a company's rewards are equitable when compared to other organizations in similar industries, occupations, and geographic locations
Which of the following activities is an example of downsizing?
implementing a hiring freeze
Which of the following items is inferred from an employer's actions or conduct?
implied contract
Circle
indicates a certain sequence of steps continues on another page
Small noninteractive groups
individuals seated at one oblong table with the trainer at one side
Group work
individuals seated in small groups at separate tables with the trainer mobile between them
Adam's equality theory
individuals want to be treated fairly
Initial audit
investigate the SWOT of the recruitment process
Designated officer
involves an appointed individual to resolve disputes
what is an introductory statement?
is essentially a company overview that includes information concerning headcount, along with any significant employment changes that have taken place in the past calendar year
Mission
is the organizations reason for existence (Ex. To save customers time and money by providing training and customized products)
What is succession planning?
is the practice of identifying and evaluating specific employees to fill leadership positions within the organization
Certification is important because:
it ensures that you remain up to date with new developments in your line of work
A detailed list of broad skills or traits needed for a position is known as:
job competency
Point
jobs are assigned points to form a total score
Market-based
jobs are compared to similar jobs existing in the industry
Classification
jobs are grouped together based on shared characteristics
Ranking
jobs are ordered from highest to lowest based on their value
Factor comparison
jobs are ranked and mapped to dollar values
Classroom training
lecture
Arrow
links symbols and shows direction
General acceptance, intimacy and being part of a group where one is accepted are one of the primary ways and employee can build:
love
Explain what a Return on Investment does (ROI)?
measures the ratio between an investment's profit and its cost. It is a cash flow metric that is generally expressed as a ration or percentage comparing the gains of a particular investment with its initial investment price. ROI is particularly useful in helping an organization evaluate the overall value of a given investment.
_____ is the process through which a senior or experienced employee is assigned the responsibility of training a younger or less experienced employee.
mentoring
______ builds employee-to-employee relationships and promotes employee retention in the workplace.
mentoring
What is an enterprise risk management (ERM)?
method of managing unknowable risks by anticipating potential risks, focusing on those with the greatest likelihood or potential impact, and planning a response strategy for when risks become realities
Some of the tools needed for reinforcing an organization's core values, ethical values, and behavioral expecations include:
modeling, communication and coaching tools
Vroom's expectancy theory
motivation depends on anticipation, instrumentality, and valance
Career-average formula
multiplying 3% of the career average earnings by each year of service to get the payment; paying 4% of each year's earnings
Explain non-quantitative job evaluation methods and list 3 specific examples:
non-quantitative job evaluation methods are also known as whole-job methods. The three examples are job ranking, paired comparison, and job classification
In what capacity as an HR professional do you assume the responsibility of managing employee programs?
nonprofit HR professional
Blended training
off-site training and job aids
Employee assistance program
offerings can include psychological counseling and crisis management; Counseling is provided by a third party to protect employee privacy
Optimization analytics is otherwise known as:
predictive analytics
The extra questions added to the PHR test are known as:
pretest questions
Goal development
prioritize objectives by ranking or assigning a percentage
Two of the major roles you are supposed to play as a mentor are:
psychosocial richness and career-building roles
What does adverse impact refer to?
refers to a form of discrimination where an employer's policy seems neutral but in fact has an adverse impact on a certain group or a certain characteristic such as race, sex, or disability
what is uncertainty (VUCA)
refers to a situation in which the organization faces a lack of information. An example would be a competition working on developing and launching a new top-secret product.
What does governance refer to?
refers to how senior executives direct and control an organization
what is volatility (VUCA)
refers to something unstable with frequently unexpected changes, like wild price fluctuations, effects of weather or natural disasters, and politically unstable regions.
What do mergers and acquisitions refer to?
refers to when the ownership of organizations is transferred with other entities
Management
reimbursing compensation gained by misconduct; acting in the best interest of the shareholders
The Human Resource Department has many branches. They include all of the following except:
replacement planning
Oval
represents the start and end of a process
If you suddenly realize you can't take the test a few days before the scheduled date, what should you do?
reschedule the exam
A change of leadership in an organization can be triggered by any of the following factors:
resignation, employment termination, and promotion
If you fail the HRCI exam, the examination body allows you to:
retake the exam
Gather information
reviewing old performance reviews to identify the gap in finance
When employees are offered health and insurance policies, their _____ needs are met:
security needs
The last element of Maslow's Hierarchy is:
self-actualization
Employees who can leave their comfort zone, take calculated risks and do things the way they feel is best in order to provide solutions to problems are:
self-actualizing employees
Dignity, achievements and independence make up a person's:
self-confidence
Which type of interview occurs when an interviewer has guided converstations with applicants that involve broad questions and new questions that come about from the discussions that take place?
semi-structured
Self-directed training
set of workbooks and job aids to learn at her own pace
You will assume several roles as a PHR. These roles include all of the following except:
setting up disciplinary committees
In addition to being great for small organizations, a flatarchy organizational structure is also the ideal organizational structure for:
start-ups
The first step you should take during workforce planning is:
strategic direction
These parts of a SWOT analysis are considered internal:
strengths and weaknesses
The process of identifying and preparing future leaders to take over an outgoing employee's position is:
succession planning
Medicare
supplemental medical insurance
The HR Department must take the strengths and weaknesses of the existing workforce into consideration as a part of its _____ efforts?
supply analysis
The connection between the current workforce and the success of the existing business strategy must also be looked into with a view to identifying whether they align or not. This is part of______.
supply analysis
Workers compensation
temporary disability income assistance
What is collective bargaining?
the act of negotiation between an employer and its employees, where a union represents the employees' interests
Mediation
the decision can't be imposed on either party; a neutral person works with both parties to solve a dispute
You show self-esteem when you can express:
the desire to feel good about yourself
Arbitration
the dispute is submitted to a trained person for decision; before a ruling is made, the parties decide whether the ruling will be binding
What is termination?
the final step in the progressive discipline process and when an employee is removed from their job
Broadbanding
the number of paygrades is reduced to help streamline the administration
Define aging?
the process of adjusting salary date to keep pace with the market movement
What are active candidates?
those engaging in search for new employment, whether they are already employed or unemployed
Which of the following are external business environment factors used in SWOT analysis?
threats and opportunities
The functionalities of Talent Analytics are classified into:
three categories
Some employees are motivated by achievement, such employees can:
thrive in medium risk situations
There are ____to implementing the Acquired Needs Theory:
two steps
The HRCI will notify you of its receipt of your application and payment:
within 24 hours
On-the-job training
work with an experienced team member
Long-term orientation
workers respect long-term commitments
The process that involves the planning and analysis of the workforce with the objective of strengthening it is known as:
workforce planning and employment
The branch of HRD that handles recruitment, job posting and promotion is:
working condition
What is a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)?
written description of the steps involved in completing a specific task
1938: Fair Labor Standards Act: (FLSA)
1-Defined exempt and non-exempt employees. 2-Required and set minimum wage to non-exempt workers. 3-ime & a half pay for overtime. 4-imited number of hours children may work. 5-Established record- keeping requirements .
Sequence the cost benefit analysis:
1-Determine all factors that positively benefit the project, 2-express project benefits in dollar amounts, timing and duration, 3-Consider all hidden factors that add to the price tag of the project, 4-translate all costs into dollar amounts, 5-determine whether the project will gain or lose money, and 6-last decide the viability of the project
Bob needs to schedule time for his interviews with candidates for a copy editing position. Which are effective ways to do this?
1. Allow 45 minutes for the interview, as well as 15 minutes for preparation and 5 minutes for after the interview 2. Schedule the interviews for a time when he has the most energy and focus
Bob has a list of candidates to interview for a copy editing job at the newspaper. Which are effective ways to determine the structure for the interview?
1. Calculate how long to spend on questions about the candidate's copy editing experience 2. Decide if he needs to bring each candidate in on two or more different days 3. Ask the managing editor who will work with the new copy editor to help interview the candidates 4. Determine whether a panel interview is suitable for the first round of interviews
There are a number of techniques used by HR professionals to help map the type of resources an organization will need to meet business needs now, as well as in the future. Which techniques will help HR professionals ensure that the right knowledge, skills, and abilities can be drawn on when needed to meet key organizational objectives?
1. Supply analysis 2. Demand analysis 3. Gap analysis
Bob needs to review the paperwork and prepare some questions for interviews for a copy editing position. Which are effective ways to do this?
1. Use the information from the job description and the candidate's resume to develop some basic questions for the interview 2. Organize the information he's gathered about the candidate and the job and put it on a form that he can bring into the interview
Once your application is approved, you must take the test within:
120 days
The HRCI operates in ______ countries
125
Talent planning and acquisition make up ____ of the PHR test:
16%
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs was first proposed in:
1943
The first step towards establishing a body to regulate the activities of PHR professionals was taken in the
1960s
Maslow developed his concept of self-actualization in:
1963
The American Society for Personnel Administration Accreditation Institute was created in _____ to attend to the needs of the HR profession.
1973
The first exam for eligible HR professionals in the industry was administered by:
1976
An employee has passed away on the job. For what length of time is his surviving wife eligible for continuation of healthcare coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budge Reconcilliation Act (COBRA)?
36 months
To pass the PHR exam, you must receive a score of at least:
500
What is a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA)?
A HRA is an employer-funded medical plan that reimburses employees only for eligible healthcare expenses. Each employee receives an employer-paid contribution that is treated as a benefit, not as compensation. Employees can roll over any unpaid funds into the next calendar year, but the funds are not portable.
What does a health savings account (HAS) do?
A HSA allows employees to pay for approved healthcare expenses pre-tax up to the contributions limits that are set by the IRS. Employers may also contribute to these accounts, and any remaining balances roll over to the next calendar year, are portable and can be used into retirement.
Who forms a preferred provider organization (PPO)?
A PPO is formed by an employer who negotiates discounted fees with networks of healthcare providers. In return, the employer guarantees a certain volume of patients. Individuals enrolled in a PPO can elect to receive treatment outside of the network, but they will pay higher copayments or deductibles for doing so.
A union if a formal labor organization formed for the purpose of advancing its members' interests in respect to wages, benefits, and working conditions. There are a number of steps in the unionization process. Order the activities that occur in the process
A campaign is initiated and employees sign authorization cards A group of employees lobby for certification of representation A NLRB makes a decision to grant an election The union is certified if a simple majority votes for a union The union is recognized and can bargain for employees
A union is a formal labor organization formed for the purpose of advancing its members' interests in respect to wages, benefits, and working conditions. There are a number of steps in the unionization process. Order the activities that occur in the unionization process from first to last.
A campaign is initiated and employees sign authorization cards A group of employees lobby for certification of representation NLRB makes a decision to grant an election The union is certified if a simple majority votes for a union The union is recognized and can bargain for employees
Sequence the activities that take place during the unionization process from first to last
A campaign is launched and employees sign authorization cards An employee files a request to the regional office of the NLRB The NLRB determines whether there is an election The NLRB agent tallies the results More than 50% of employees vote in favor of representation
Employee involvement helps to ensure employees become active and motivated participants in the success of their organizations. Employee involvement strategies increase employee job satisfaction and motivation. Which examples demonstrate appropriate employee involvement strategies?
A committee is established to review all safety procedures A company offers varied start and end times for the work day A comment box is located in the reception area allows for employee anonymity An employee is asked to take the lead on a special project A software testing job is divided into two distinct roles
Interfering with unionization efforts
A company threatens to close the plant if the workers unionize
What is an internal privacy policy?
A company's internal privacy policy should address sensitive information such as addresses, telephone numbers, credit reports, medical reports, employee records, company technology, and data systems that collect personal information
What is a flat-dollar approach?
A defined benefit plan that pays a set dollar amount for each year of service under the plan. This is usually seen in plans covering hourly employees under a collective bargaining agreement.
What is a job specification?
A detailed description of specific qualification, experience, or education needed to perform the tasks
What is a job competency?
A detailed list of broad skills or traits needed for a position, such as leadership skills or attention to detail
What is the American with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
A federal law that outlaws discrimination based on disability. The ADA precludes discrimination based on race, age, sex, national origin and religion. Moreover, the law requires that employers provide reasonable accommodation to employees who have a disability.
Which examples demonstrate methods that optimize exit interviews?
A firm's policy states that all exit interviews will be conducted face-to-face An HR manager is asked to conduct an exit interview An interviewer asks an exiting employee to describe the aspects of the job most enjoyed An exiting employee reveals the company's competition offers flextime to all its employees A company researches all area competition benefits packages to ensure theirs are attractive
What is base pay?
A fixed compensation that an employee receives in return for work that they have performed
What is equity compensation?
A form of non-cash compensation. It is used to attract and retain employees to work for a startup company
Define union
A formally organized group of employees who work together to accomplish goals
Define E-Verify
A government program used to assist with the verification of new hires
Match the scenarios of unfair labor practices by unions to their categories
A group of union representatives makes sure of the way employees vote on issues A union refuses to meet with the plant managers to negotiate a contract A union requires union approval for any hiring done by the company A union doesn't insist that an employer continue to pay salaries for jobs rendered obsolete
What is modeling?
A hands-on appraoch to teaching new behaviors. Employees can learn new behaviors and skills by watching a manager or trainer perform them first.
Gauging the effectiveness of an organization's recruitment and sourcing efforts is critical to determine optimum use of resources. Identify the examples that are ways to gauge workforce recruitment and sourcing efforts.
A head hunter generates a 50% hire yield ration, An HR manager determines the male to female ratio of qualified applicants, The director of HR calculates the total amount of applications processed by each of her employees in the past quarter, Data reveals that 20% of new hires leave the company one year after being hired
What does a learner analysis do?
A learner analysis identifies if the employees' performance issues are occurring due to a lack of knowledge, skills, and abilities or due to some other issues, such as lack of motivation or insufficient tools
Explain PEST analysis and each of the four factors
A macro environmental analysis that looks at four external factors affecting the organization: Politial, economic, social, and technological
What is Zero defects?
A management strategy that works to reduce defects through prevention. Zero defects is not just a program that is directed by an organization, but a philosophy of a business and pedagogy. IT requires one to assess the high cost of quality failures and then realize the relation to deflated revenues.
What is Just-in-time?
A management technique where a business will only receive goods according to effective demand, rather than maintaining a stockpile of inventory of unused supplies
Organizations should have effective disciplinary practices and process to ensure comprehension, fairness, and consistency. Which examples demonstrate the best practices?
A manager interviews an employee about a disciplinary infraction in private A manager focuses on the facts of the infraction An employee's disciplinary actions are not discussed with other employees A manager keeps accurate notes in every dealing with an employee's infraction
Organizations should have effective disciplinary practices and process to ensure comprehension, fairness, and consistency. Which examples demonstrate the best practices?
A manager interviews an employee about a disciplinary infraction in private An employee's disciplinary actions are not discussed with other employees A manager keeps accurate notes in every dealing with an employee's infraction A manager focuses on the facts of the infraction
Qualitative supply analysis :
A manager is asked if all employees in her department are qualified to fulfill their current job descriptions
Which examples describe best practices for implementing effective discipline in the workplace?
A manager keeps disciplinary process details private A charge of unfair discipline is dropped when the documentation reveals otherwise A manager focuses on an employee's actions, not her personality, during the infraction interview
An example of a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and as amended in 1991
A manager treats someone unfavorably because of the employee's connection with a race-based organization and an employee is teased about his skin color so frequently that it creates a hostile work environment and results in the victim being demoted
Divisional
A manufacturing company's structure is based on the products. This structure provides clear accountability and teamwork and ensures the company remains competitive
Functional
A medium-sized manufacturing company is operationally effective but faces some interdepartment communication challenges. It staffs its departments with specialists for relevant functions. And A cleaning equipment company reorganizes its structure to include four departments, organized by task, to allow for greater operational control at the senior level.
What is the Employee Asssitance Program (EAP)?
A mental health program that provides employees the option to improve their psychological wellbeing
What is six sigma?
A methodological strategy that is used by organizations to devise more productive ways to organize processes. The principal reason for employing Six Sigma is to eliminate defects in organizational protocol that impede the ability to maximize profitability.
What is an Average Transaction Value (ATV)?
A metric that measures the average amount that one customer spends on one transaction
What is the minimum requirement for eligibility for the PHR examination?
A minimum of one year of experience in an HR position plus a Master's degree, 2 years experience plus a Bachelor's degree, 4 years of HR experience plus a high-school diploma
What is a needs analysis?
A needs analysis is the process in which an organization gathers information about the principal needs and requests of its members
What can a plant patent be filed for?
A plant can be filed for an asexually reproduceable plant discovered in a cultivated area. These patents last for twenty years after the date they are filed
Define leveling?
A process that can be used to weigh or level data in order to create a better match if a job included on the salary survey is similar-but not identical- to a position within the organization
What is a task analysis?
A process that involves careful analysis of the task process associated with a particular position
What is a sociotechnical intervention?
A process undertaken by organizations to maximize productivity by integrating machinery and technology into a pre-existing organizational structure
Which activities demonstrate the use of opinion surveys used to gauge employee satisfaction?
A programming manager analyzes online responses from employees about work processes, an employee tells an interviewer why some teams have become demotivated, a company distributes questionnaires for employees to answer about company benefits, and a small group of employees meet with a facilitator to discuss job satisfaction levels.
Employee involvement helps to ensure employees become active and motivated participants in the success of their organizations. Employee involvement strategies increase employee job satisfaction and motivation. Which examples demonstrate appropriate employee involvement strategies?
A software testing job is divided into two distinct roles An employee is asked to take the lead on a special project A company offers varied start and end times for the work day A committee is established to review all safety procedures A comment box located in the reception area allows for employee anonymity
What is a cash balance plan?
A specific type of benefit plan. These plans express the promised benefit in terms of a hypothetical account balance. They are easily communicated to plan participants, and the accrued benefit is portable. Each year, a participant's account is credited with a pay credit and an interest credit
What is an organization development?
A strategy of systematically planned interventions that are employed by an organization for the primary purpose of raising the infrastructural efficiency of bureaucracies by devising more operative processes
Define empirical-rational strategy?
A strategy to manage change that assumes people are rational and will follow any course that's in their self-interest. To implement change with this strategy, an organization must either 1) demonstrate the benefit of the change or 2) demonstrate the harm of the status quo (or both)
Strategy development
A thorough analysis of the internal and external environment is conducted. (Ex. Conduct a SWOT analysis to look at internal and external factors that might affect the company)
What does a total reward statement do?
A total reward statement breaks down the rest of an employee's comprehensive benefits package to show them everything that goes into their total compensation, along with the company's contributions toward each of the items
What is the purpose of training needs assessment?
A training needs assessment is conducted to determine whether a training program will be an adequate solution to correct a performance issue.
What is a functional structure?
A type of organizational structure in which positions are grouped according to similar job roles in a hierarchial chain. This type of structure seperates distinct job tasks and creates a clear line of job advancement.
What is a divisional structure?
A type of organizational structure that uses a department-based organizational style, where employees who work on similar projects are grouped together. The divisioins may be seperated by regions, product type, or specific customer needs.
What does a utility patent involve?
A utility patent involves anything technological, mechanical, chemical, pharmaceutical, or software-related. Utility patents are valid for 20 years after the date the patent is filed
After a bill has been scheduled on the "legislative calendar" and debated at the floor of the House or Senate and amended accordingly, in what order do the next four steps take place?
A. Bill is voted on by House or Senate B. A bill passed by one chamber is referred to the other chamber C. A conference committee reconciles the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill D. A bill passed by both the chambers is sent for president's approval
There are a number of steps involved in the passage of a bill into law by the US Congress. Only a member of Congress (House or Senate) can initiate the process for a bill to be considered by the US federal legislative. List the steps:
A. Bill officially introduced B. A committee examines the bill and its chances for passage C. Bill is referred to a subcommittee for further study and hearings D. Subcommittee makes amendments prior to sending the bill to the full committee E. Bill is ordered reported F. A written report on the bill is prepared
match the competencies to their examples:
Ability- accurately sets priorities, Knowledge- analyzes complex technical data, Skill- mediates between contending parties, Attribute- takes initiative
Employees with difficult workplace behavior can inhibit performance in others and lower the morale and motivation of team members. Match types of workplace behavior issues with their examples. Each type of behavior will match to more than one example. Some examples may not indicate a workplace behavior problem
Absenteeism- An employee's quality of work suffers when she generally misses one workday per week; A team frequently misses deadlines because a coworker constantly calls in sick Insubordination- An employee always rolls his eyes at his manager when asked how work is progressing; An employee refuses to follow the policy of recording all customer complaints Violence- A team is subjected to foul language from one member whenever new duties are assigned
Which scenarios infringe on the copyright act?
Abu is contracted to design a series of model homes. He develops the first blueprint, replicates it, and then adjusts it to create a new design. Valerie creates a marketing brochure for personal hygiene products and appends a registered white paper on the impact of poor personal hygiene without consent Kate develops an employee performance rating system specifically for her organization. When she leaves the company, she makes use of the system at her new job. Bob is a freelancer contracted to design graphics for literary works for a publishing company. He then sells these designs online to a stock images company. Aaron authors and registers a book on event planning. He finds a national hotel chain using his book verbatim as training, without his consent.
The accident investigation and reporting process helps to provide a safe working environment by determining the cause of an accident, then reporting them so that accidents can be prevented in the future. Sequence the steps for conducting an accident investigation.
Accident site visit and interviews Fact-finding Gather evidence Documentation Conclusions and recommendations Implementation and recommendation and follow up
An organization can have physical, human, intellectual, and financial assets- all of which need to be protected. Which options are examples of measures organizations can due to protect their assets?
Accurate financial recording Intellectual property agreements Smoke detectors Antiharassment policies
EO 11375 (year 1967)
Added sex to the protected calluses in EO 11246. RACE CREED COLOR NATIONAL ORIGIN SEX
You should be familiar with a number of severance packages to be competitive in your industry. Which are common severance package benefits?
Advances Severance pay
Which examples describe roles HR plays during strategic restructuring initiatives?
Advising on human capital and employment-related issues arising out a restructuring initiative Informing on cultural diversity issues when a unit is merged with a foreign company Monitoring employee performance and resulting skill gaps after a company buys out its competitors
what does affirmative action do?
Affirmative action aids employers with identifying imbalances in the workforce and assists them with placing a focus on hiring, training, and promoting groups of workers who are underrepresented
What does an employee stock plan do for employees?
Affords employees the opportunity to purchase a fixed number of shares of the company's stock at a fixed, or exercise price, during a certain period
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA, 2008)
Affords that if certain surgical benefits are provided, then the same must be provided for mental health benefits.
Which law or regulation prevents companies from exclusively promoting and hiring persons younger than 40 simply because they might be with the company for a longer period of time:
Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
Homeland Security Act
Aims to minimize the damage, and assist in the recovery, from terrorist attacks that do occur within the U.S.; brought together about 22 federal agencies to establish a new executive dept
International
All IAs in the company are paid equivalently across the world
HR professionals use a variety of methods to ensure the right candidates are selected for job openings. Which examples correctly apply the guidelines for gauging the suitability of candidates?
Allowing applicants to try out aspects of a position to simulate the job before accepting an offer Ensuring hiring managers know how to perform tests and are familiar with their advantages and disadvantages in specific situations Correlating test results with actual performance to determine test accuracy
Revenue Act, 1978
Allows employees to receive favorable tax treatment
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 1974
Allows employees to receive financial information about pension and health benefits plans
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), 1993
Allows employees unpaid leave for serious illness, injury, or medical complications
Revenue Act, 1978
Allows employers to offer employees favorable tax treatment
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
Allows families who have lost health benefits to continue benefits for a limited time
USA Patriot Act
Allows government officials greater powers to track and intercept terrorists' communication and financial transactions; allows agents to pursue terrorists suspected of money laundering with the same tools they use against other money launders
What is the Retirement Equity Act (1984)?
Amendment to the ERISA passed to address concerns around the needs of divorced spouses, surviving spouses, and employees who left the work force for some period of time to raise a family
Why was the Pension Protection Act (2006) passed?
Amendment to the ERISA was passed to strengthen the pension system by increasing the minimum funding requirements for pension plans, thereby eliminating existing loopholes that previously allowed missed payments for underfunded plans.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
Amends COBRA to apply to any contract if government uses its funds
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
Amends COBRA to apply to any contract if government uses its funds; Contains implications for whistleblower protection and small business programs
Patient Protection and Affordability Care Act (PPACA)
Amends COBRA to require group health plans to cover dependent children
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
Amends COBRA to require group health plans to cover dependent children
What is an exclusive provider organization (EPO)?
An EPO is a plan in which the participants must use the providers who are in the network of coverage or no payment will be made
Implementing a recruitment strategy involves three key steps. Place the activities involved in each step in the correct order.
An HR manager meets with the VP of finance to review the recruitment budget, An HR team member is allocated travel funds to meet with college experts, A competitive analysis is performed to compare the effectiveness of the organization's recruitment efforts compared to its main competitor
What are the steps that comprise the federal rule-making process?
An agency develops a draft of the proposed rule which is approved at the highest level of the agency. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office Information Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) review significant rules in the draft of the proposed rule, The final draft of the proposed rule is developed and sent to OMB and OIRA for review, The proposed rule is published
What is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)?
An amendment to ERISA. It was passed to improve the continuity and portability of healthcare coverage. Additionally, this act only permits covered entities to use or disclose protected health information for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations. If protected health information is to be released for any reason, written authorization is required from the patient.
Genetic information nondisclosure act:
An applicant is denied employment after revealing in a second interview a genetic predisposition to diabetes and an employer decides against hiring someone after reviewing her medical history responses on an application form, believing this individual was more likely to sick leave than other applicants
which examples include essential job functions?
An art director manages projects and works within a budget A web site designer has skills in editing graphics
Place the steps in the EEOC complaint process in order
An employee files a complaint with the EEOC The EEOC notifies the employer that a complaint has been filed The EEOC provides a coy of the grievance to the employer The EEOC makes a determination regarding a reasonable case
Which options describe effective management in the key areas for successful vendor relationships?
An employee reviews the testing procedures with an outsourced programmer, a team leader practices proper phone etiquette when placing orders with a supplier, an HR professional educates employees on cultural differences, and a manager helps to resolve a conflict between an employee and supplier
Which examples demonstrate unethical actions?
An employee withholds information about a product defect A board member accepts a luxury vacation for voting In favor of executive salary increases A vendor offers an expensive gift in exchange for an exclusive supply relationship A building contractor gives a fee to the federal architect who approved the development plan An employee leaks product information that will affect stock price to investors An employee accepts monetary compensation to recommend a certain vendor A company withholds information about possible gains in a merger
Additional pay is used to reward employees. Which examples describe situations that might be rewarded with additional pay?
An employee works two shifts in a row An employee works in a low population area An employee has excellent on-the-job performance
Dominating a labor union
An employer creates a union at a company
Americans with Disabilities Act:
An employer fires an individual after discovering the employee had a history of illegal drug use
Refusing to bargain in good faith
An employer refuses to bargain with the company union about employee wages
Retaliating against NLRB activity
An employer states they will suspend employees who file complaints with the NLRB
Who was Joseph Moses Juran?
An engineer and a pioneer of quality control management. Juran is also responsible for developing the Pareto principle of Pareto analysis system which is a statistical model used for decision-making in an organization
Explain what happens in a group performance-based pay plan?
An entire group is rewarded for exceeding performance standards and each person in the group receives the same amount of incentive as a percentage of their pay
What is an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)?
An example of a qualified defined contribution retirement plan that is a stock bonus program. ESOPs give employees significant stock ownership in their companies and allow them to benefit from any associated profitability and growth, which can motivate them to be more focused on the performance in their organization.
What is the DELPHI method?
An example of expert forecasting where questionairres are sent to a variety of experts, the results are shared, and then choices are updated. The objective of this method is to reach the most correct decision via consensus.
Which methods demonstrate good use of exit interviews?
An exiting employee is asked about current salaries being offered by competitors An exiting employee is interviewed about his reasons for leaving the company A company changes its personal leave time policy after exit interview feedback A neutral party conducts the exit interview and assures the employee it will be confidential
Employers need to ensure employees get all the information they need about compensation and benefits programs. Which examples demonstrate techniques that allow employers to achieve this?
An organization provides detailed information in the employee handbook of how much benefits programs cost both the employer and the employee A manager meets with individual team members at their request to clarify any questions on how the company's merit system works An employee accesses information about personal payroll benefits deductions online
Which techniques help employers communicate all the information employees need about compensation and benefits programs?
An organization provides detailed information on how the retirement benefit program is structured An employee uses a self-service application to access her payroll information A supervisor meets with an employee to explain how the Family Medical Leave Act work
What is flat structure?
An organizational structure that seeks to eliminate much of the hieararchy and bureaucracy that exists in traditional companies, while a network structure outsources many key tasks to outside organizations.
What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?
An organizations sense of responsibility for its impace on the environment and community. CSR can be evaluated by people (fair employment practices), planet (organization's environmental impact), and profit (organization's overall contribution to economic growth)
Which steps are involved in the strategic compensation process?
Analyze current pay rates and business strategies Determine a measure for each job and plan for employee advancement Consider the requirements of the business strategy
The typical process for conducting a benefits program needs analysis involves a number of key steps in order to help understand where the organization is today, where its headed, and how the benefits strategy can help the organization reach its objectives. Match each step in the process to its description:
Analyze the design and utilization of the current benefits- Understand how the current system is being used Review the organization's strategy- Determine level of importance of compensation and benefits Conduct a gap analysis- compare organizational and employee requirements to the current system Review the organization's approach to total rewards- Examine the types of benefits programs currently offered Examine the workforce demographics- Determine the current statistical characteristic of the employees
Implementing a retention program can usually be accomplished through five basic steps.Match each retention program implementation step with the activity it involves.
Analyze the organization- Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the internal workforce Instill program responsibility- Make retention everyone's responsibility Implement good screening and hiring practices- Consider retention early in the recruitment process Ensure key elements of high-retention organizations exist- Offer fair compensation and effective onboarding programs Monitor and develop response strategies- Be aware of early warning signs that employees are thinking of leaving their jobs
A risk management process focuses on specific risks or risk categories. Which steps are involved?
Analyzing and evaluating risks, Taking actions against the risks, Informing internal and external stakeholders of risks, Ensuring controls and adjustments occur when needed, Reviewing and analyzing the organizations goals
HR professionals perform a number of tasks during each of the first four steps in the employment litigation process. Match each step with the roles HR performs during the step
Answering the complaint- participate in interviews with company's attorney and assist in conducting internal investigations Scheduling conferences-plan the time and effort required for case preparation Discovery process- attend plaintiff's deposition and gather information for initial disclosures Notification- consult with company's legal counsel
Public domain is a copyright provision that posits which of the following?
Any work published by the Federal government can be used freely without authorization
The _______ helps to ensure a faster and easier screening orocess that guarantees a more credible selection process than the results obtainable through a manual process:
Applicant Tracking System
Who does the Walsh-Healy Public Contracts Act apply to and what does it imply?
Applies to contractors working on federally funded supply contracts in excess of $10,000. Under this Act, employers must pay employees at least the federal minimum wage and overtime pay
HR professionals are usually involved in some aspect of termination meetings and should understand important considerations for approaching these meetings. What activities might be required when supporting termination meetings?
Arranging security if you think the employee might be violent Resolving all issues related to organizational property Creating an action plan for handing off the employee's current projects Deciding whether an exit interview will be set up for the employee
How can you avoid unfair practices during interviews?
Ask questions that relate to job requirements, Avoid making predictions about the future financial success
Which steps are required to develop a program that aligns with organizational business requirements and culture?
Assess the environment, develop and implement a strategy, and evaluate the results
Which steps are performed in the risk management process?
Auditing risk management policies and compliance standards, Evaluating estimated risks against predetermined criteria, addressing processes used to identify risks, and how the response mechanism works, Treating risks with strategies such as avoidance, reduction, transfer or acceptance
Skinners Behavioral Reinforcement Theory
Behavior is fueled by consequences
Skinner's Behavioral Reinforcement Theory
Behavior is fueled by its consequences, so managers can control future behavior by using various reactions to current behavior
HR professionals should be aware of several in-depth interview techniques. Match each example to the type of interview technique.
Behavioral interview- candidates are asked how they dealt with a specific situation, Stress interview- interviewers determine how candidates will react in demanding situations, Structured interview- interview details, such as time allotted to candidates to answer questions, are decided in advance, in-depth interview- candidates are questioned about the detailed information they have given
What are vested benefits?
Benefits from a retirement account or pension that belongs to an employee that they get to keep regardless of whether they remain employed at the company
A general knowledge of environmental health hazards is very important. You should be able to identify some common hazards and show how to eliminate or reduce the risk they pose to employee health and well-being
Biological hazard- viruses; bacteria Physical hazard- loose flooring; wastebasket shoved in hallway; unsecured ceiling tiles Chemical hazard- ammonia
An alternative searching technique that allows users to combine keywords with modifiers or operators is a:
Boolean search
Calculating the return on investment (ROI) and the break-even point are two financial measures important for finding out the effectiveness of business investments in a variety of organizational projects and programs. Match the financial measure to their description:
Break even point- The total revenues or return associated with the investment are equal to the total cost and Calculated by dividing cost by savings and multiplying the result by a time period
Project schedule
Breaks down project activities into tasks with timelines
When does broadbanding occur?
Broadbanding occurs when employers decide to combine multiple pay levels into one, which results in only a handful of salary grades with much wider ranges
Your ability to work with an organization's information to make important decisions is known as:
Business Management
When an organization hires a graphic designer to help it create a logo for its business, the organization is investing in:
Business branding
Processes, customers, technology, safety and competition are integral parts of an organization's ________:
Business element
When determining financial considerations for new hires being relocated, organizations need to remember that each employee's financial situation is different. What are key considerations when developing a customized relocation analysis?
Calculation of income using tax laws in the new area Projected decrease in the spouse's income Adjustments in commuting distance
Once the NLRB grants an election, there are ground rules employers must follow. Which employer actions follow these rules
Campaigning to its employees during work time up to 24 hours prior to the election Filing a list of eligible bargaining unit employees with the NLRB Making election information available on company premises
Once the NLRB grants an election, there are ground rules employers must follow. Which employer actions follow these rules?
Campaigning to its employees during work time up to 24 hours prior to the election Making election information available on company premises Filing a list of eligible bargaining unit employees with the NLRB
Define career development and explain how it is important?
Career development is a process of cultivating knowledge, experience, transitions, and leisure toward a particular career goals. Career development is an important process when attempting to make a person attractive to perspective employers. Career development encompasses six primary stages: assessment, investigation, preparation, commitment, retention, and transition
Fast-track programs
Casey is a leader and high performer and has been identified as needing a more challenging position
mPerformance appraisals can be carried out by a group, but it is most commonly carried out individually, between an employee and supervisor. There are several methods for rating performance:
Category rating- using a graphic scale to rate an employee according to predetermined measurements Comparative- choosing the best employee and then the worst employee ccording to predefined criteria Management by objectives (MBO)- Defining SMART goals for each employee and regularly checking in with them Narrative- Answering a series of questions for team members Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS)- Using a continuum of descriptive tatements of behaviors ranging from least to most effective
Leniency
Cathryn wants to give Hazel a break since they've had their differences
McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y
Certain managers believe that individuals are motivated by lower-level needs, where others assume workers have competitive spirit
What does change management refer to?
Change management refers to an organization's ability to implement changes in a diligent and comprehensive manner. Careful change management helps the organization to function effectively even while undergoing a major evolution
HR professionals should be aware of how relocations impact employee productivity and morale. What can you do to help employees feel they've successfully relocated?
Clarify job role and responsibilities to relocated employees Communicate relocation policies to new hires Provide a guide to help new employees learn about the area
Organizations with a flat structure have a wide span of control, and organizations with a tall structure have a narrow span of control. The span of control depends on the number of employees each supervisor has and how complex the tasks are for the employees. match each company to the type of span of control it uses.
Cleaning equipment company -Wide span of control; Retail clothing company- Wide span of control; Microprocessor company- Narrow span of control; Technology company -Narrow span of control
What can you do to help employees feel they've successfully relocated?
Communicate relocation policies to new hires Provide a guide to help new employees learn about the area Clarify job role and responsibilities to relocated employees
There are a number of different techniques used to rate performance as part of a performance appraisal. Match the techniques to their examples.
Comparative -Ranking a list of top performers from lowest to highest on a bell curve Narrative- Using critical incident records to track specific actions of each employee, both positive and negative, to include in the performance appraisal Management by objectives (MBO) -Defining very specific and measurable goals with every employee and regularlydiscussing and reviewing progress toward the goals Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) -Defining statements of effective and ineffective behaviors in order to indicate on a continuum the behavior that best describes an employee's performance
1890: Sherman Antitrust Act
Controlled business monopolies; allowed court injunctions to prevent restrain of trade. Used to restrict unionization efforts
What are the legal considerations HR professionals should be aware of when writing employee handbooks?
Controlled distribution Effective disclaimers Appropriate language
1959: Labor- Management Report and Disclosure Act (LMRDA; Landrum-Griffin)
Controlled internal union operations. Provided a bill of rights for union members Required a majority vote of members to increase dues Allowed members to sue the union Set term and limits for union leaders
Taxpayer Relief Act (TRA), 1997
Coordinates rules for 401(k) plans with rules that generally cover qualified retirement plans
Workplace security is a top priority in protecting an organization and its assets. Risk anaylsis can help organizations manage security risks. What are the steps in risk analysis?
Creating a workplace security plan Assessing the impact of the risks Recognizing threats to workplace security Evaluating probablility and costs of the risks occurring
HR professionals are usually involved in some aspect of termination meetings and should understand important considerations for approaching these meetings. What activities might be required when supporting termination meetings?
Creating an action plan for handing off the employee's current projects Arranging security if you think the employee might be violent Resolving all issues related to organization property Deciding whether an exit interview will be set up for the employee
There are a number of specific biases HR professionals should be aware of that might influence the types of questions they ask and the perceptions they make:
Cultural noise- an introverted candidate insists she can champion a product, Halo effect- a candidate has been nominated for an award by the community, Similar-to-me- a candidate volunteers for the same charity as the interviewer, Nonverbal bias- an interviewer notices the candidate frowns frequently, First impression- a candidate wearing an expensive business suit, Stereotyping- an interviewer believes people under 25 are non-committal
1884: Payne V. The Western & Atlantic Railroad Company
Defined employment at will
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), 1996
Defines national standards and privacy rules for the transmission of health care data
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), 1996
Defines national standards and privacy rules for transmission of health care data
Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS)
Defining statements of effective and ineffective behaviors in order to indicate on a continuum the behavior that best describes an employee's performance
How long are design patents valid and what do they compromise?
Design patents are valid for 14 years after the date they are filed. Unique to the US, this patent comprises ornamental design-specifically, the way a product looks (aesthetics) and how it actually works
What consideration should you keep in mind when terminating an employee?
Designating a neutral employee that can be contacted after the employee's termination What is the action plan for handing off the employee's current projects Getting the employee's final paycheck ready and notifying the payroll dept fo the termination Supporting the person chosen to perform the termination with all the vital information
Which steps are necessary when carrying out a benefits program needs assessment?
Determine the types of benefits that should be offered based on the organizational strategy Find out which aspects of the current program are being used or underused Compare organizational and employee requirements to what's currently offered Examine the statistical characteristic of the internal workforce Review the current rewards to determine program comprehensive
which activity is involved in the HR functional area of workforce planning and employment?
Determining what skills are required and recruiting and selecting employees with those skills planning workforce and employment strategies to ensure employees with the right skills are hired and retained
how can organizations help to ensure employee involvement?
Develop an employee suggestion system Organize employee teams Ensure management supports the vision Provide job task variety and autonomy Create a suitable work schedule
Which statements describe actions you can take as an HR professional to align the HR function with the strategic plan?
Develop recruitment and retention plans, Develop performance management systems, Lead and participate in change management, Identify and reduce the impact of risks to the organization
Which activity is involved in the HR functional area of business management and strategy?
Developing an HR management plan to ensure HR aligns with organizational strategies and goals Ensuring overarching organizational objectives are integrated into each function of the HR department
Successful affirmative action program planning includes a number of stages. Match each example of the affirmative action planning to the stage in the process:
Development stage-develop an organizational profile, workforce and job group analysis, availability analysis, and placement goals Implementation stage- execute action-oriented programs and identify problem areas Evaluation stage- use checklists and audits to monitor and improve affirmative action
Which steps are necessary to create a program that aligns with organizational business requirements and culture?
Diagnose the environment, develop and implement a strategy, and evaluate the results
Which of the following statements is true regarding differential pay?
Differential pay programs are used to reward employees for performing work that is viewed as less desirable, and these programs vary greatly among employers. Differential pay is not required by the FLSA.
Who are diversity groups for?
Diversity groups are for African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Americans, disability awareness, LGBTQIA, former members of the military, multicultural, emerging professionals, and women. Organizations have the opportunity to recruit potential employees via these groups
Which activities describe how to measure financial strategic performance?
Dividing the costs by the savings and multiplying the time usually expressed in days or months Reviewing income, balance sheet, and cash flow statements Expressing as a percentage the difference between the value received and costs, divided by costs Comparing costs to benefits
A departmental manager runs all union meetings. What type of unfair labor practice is demonstrated by the manager?
Dominating a labor union
A huge disadvantage of the divisional organizational structure is:
Each leader may promote his or her own personal agenda
While screening a candidate, ATS considers:
Educational background. Years of experience. Former employers
What do emergency response plans incorporate?
Emergency response plans incorporate several elements of maintaining safety and order. These elements may include practiced evacuations, reserved resources to preserve organizational function, and a plan tat seeks to minimize property damage
Collecting, analyzing, summarizing and communicating employee engagement data with an organization is a function of:
Employee and Labor Relations
Knowledge of data privacy, security, record-keeping, surveillance and termination is necessary for this branch of HR:
Employee and Labor relations
Talent Planning and Acquisition will test your knowledge of all fo the following except:
Employee and activities analysis
Managing, monitoring, and promoting government-backed policies and programs that will move a company forward is part of:
Employee and labor relations
Match methods you can use to assess employee relations with examples of those methods.
Employee survey- employees give their opinions on work-life balance issues; employees are asked to respond to written open-ended questions about growth opportunities Focus groups- employees are asked to provide a deeper analysis of a specific issues; employees represent the views of the entire population Staff meeting- employees communicate their openly with team members; employees regularly meet to communicate and clarify issues
How can employee surveys help companies?
Employee surveys are an additional tool that can be used by companies to gather input on needs or preferences regarding compensation and benefits programs, as well as employees' satisfaction with the existing offerings.
Explain what defined contribution plans are used for?
Employees and/or employers pay a specific amount into the plans for each participant. Employer contributions are often based upon a percentage of salary or a percentage of profits. Performance of the funds in these plans ultimately determines employees' benefits.
Which options are examples of internal recruitment strategies?
Employees are advanced to new positions Companies track and manage employee training and skills development Employees tell friends about openings Emails about open positions are sent to employees
Employee survey
Employees are asked to answer online questions about the quality of management; Employees are interviewed one-on-one about job satisfaction
Which examples demonstrate the implementation of employee involvement strategies?
Employees are offered telecommuting work arrangements A task force is formed to create the company's brand Program designers provide first-level feedback on first version products Guidelines are circulated to all employees on how to gather improvement ideas Employees at a manufacturing company perform specialized tasks
Decline
Employees are reluctant to multitask, and internal systems focus on cost control
Which options describe appropriate employee involvement strategies?
Employees can opt to compress a full week's work into fewer than five days An employee receives feedback on job performance Document templates are standardized to improve efficiency A company offers financial incentives for ideas used to reduce operating costs A self-directed team is formed to research new technologies
There are some common approaches that ensure employees are satisfied and engaged in their jobs. Which statements are examples that help to strengthen employee retention?
Employees feel managers trust them Employees in every dept understand their responsibilities and feel they are doing their jobs correctly Employees are encouraged to take advantage of the tuition fees benefit offered by their company New employees receive a two-day presentation from managers about how the company does business
Picketing
Employees patrol near the employer's place of business with protest signs
HR professionals are often responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating programs to meet changing employee needs. Which examples demonstrate effective programs for doing so?
Employees regularly work at a site other than the office An organization fosters a respectful, inclusive environment An HR professional provides inclusiveness training to company leaders An employee receives language training before moving to a position overseas A company incorporates an employee's knowledge from an overseas assignment
What happens under the Minimum Wage Act?
Employers must pay nonexempt employees at least the federal minimum wage
A common law is often a strict, doctrine-based reasoning that uses the circumstances of a case to evaluate the laws that are applicable. In the United States, common laws are recognized by the federal government and most of the states. Match each common law employment rights doctrine to the situation in which it applies.
Employment-at-will- A veteran employee gives three weeks resignation notice; A company demotes a once-productive employee Negligent hiring and retention - A company retains a worker who demonstrates violent behavior in the office Defamation- A manager writes a malicious reference letter for a former employee Respondeat superior- A company is sued when an agent acting on its behalf provides false information to a client Constructive discharge- An employee resigns when it's clear the company is unwilling to fire a verbally abusive manager
Which activities demonstrate key technology trends?
Enabling employees to use video chat programs to meet with remote team members Integrating functional areas into one enterprise system for effective monitoring and control Blogging about the company's initiatives as a model employer Storing company data on the internet to help reduce hardware equipment
Planning techniques help ensure HR professionals develop an effective workforce. Which activities are examples of workforce planning techniques?
Encouraging employees to apply for positions before they open to the public, Creating a website to promote the organization, Aligning organizational objectives with job specifications, Investigating trade and professional unions for talent
Implementing a retention program can usually be accomplished through 5 basic steps:
Ensure key elements of high-retention organizations exist-offer fair compensation and effective onboarding programs Implement good screening and hiring practices- consider retention early in recruitment process Analyze the organization- assess the strengths and weaknesses of the internal workforce Monitor and develop response strategies- be aware of early warning signs that employees are thinking of leaving their jobs Instill program responsibility- make retention everyone's responsibility
Which are ways to avoid unfair practices during interviews?
Ensure that questions posed to candidates don't relate to their religion, Don't promise candidates that they're likely to be hired, Don't formulate your own pre-employment test aimed at evaluating a candidate's personality, Follow the same interview procedures for family and friends who are being considered for a job
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), 2010
Ensures all US residents have access to affordable health coverage
The objectives of compensation plans are to attract qualified, high-performing employees. Effective compensation plans have some common characteristics. Match the description to the key characteristic found in effective compensation plans.
Equitable- is considerate of prevailing wage rate for similar jobs, Legally sound- complies with federal, state and local laws, Cost effective- is realistic in terms of return on compensation, Secure- meets the employees need for a predictable income
Once an organization or a department has resources and action plans, they need to be optimally organized and aligned to deliver results. Match steps of performing the organizing function with the appropriate actions. Not all actions are part of the organizing function.
Establish action plan tasks- Identify activities, Combine similar tasks- Organize activities into units, Rank roles - Classify roles and authority, Coordinate authority and responsibility- Draw organizational structure
Sequence steps in the budgetary process:
Establish budgetary goals; Set dept objectives; Estimate resources and expense; Prepare draft individual and master budget; Review and implement changes to the budget; Approve and allocate budgets
1978: Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP)
Established guidelines to ensure that selection procedures are both job related and valid predictors of job success.
1976: Washington V. Davis
Established that employment selection tools that adversely impact protected classes are lawful IF they have been validated to show FUTURE success on the job
1975: NLRB V. J. Weingarten Inc.
Established that union employees have the right to request union representation during any investigatory interview that could result in disciplinary action
What does the Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) establish?
Establishes the minimum standards for benefit plans of private, for-profit employers. It states that in order to receive tax advantages these plans must conform to the Internal Revenue Code's requirements
Organizations need to determine organizational approaches for staffing global assignments. For international organizations, global staffing is a key HR function.
Ethnocentric- All significant positions are held by personnel from the headquarters country Polycentric- Host country operations are managed by local nationals Regiocentric- Personnel move among business units in different countries within the region Geocentric- Talent is placed for important jobs regardless of their country of origin
Consider priorities and goals- Determine how the compensation strategy will support the company's future plans
Evaluate jobs - Identify compensable factors relevant to the business strategy Forecast the compensation market -Conduct surveys or interviews with experts and analyze current pay rates Create a pay structure- Develop levels of compensation Administer compensation -Measure employee performance against the business strategy
The implementation stage of affirmative action planning focuses on incorporating the plans into the organization. Which steps are done when implementing an affirmative action plan?
Evaluating program effectiveness Analyzing employment practices Developing placement goals Gathering details on equal opportunity problems
Match each activity to tits stage in the affirmative action planning process. More than one activity matches each stage.
Evaluation stage- Review reports and results and monitor affirmative action program, Development stage - create objectives that aim to increase the representation of women and minorities in the organization and compile statistics on job groups, Implementation stage - conduct programs and identify obstacles to affirmative action
Which activities are associated with accounting practices used for tracking and reporting on compensation policies and programs?
Expenditures are continually monitored Managers deal with adjustments to stay within a budget
Which examples are information provided by HR to support organizational budgetary planning?
Expenses HR incurs for outsourced services such as payroll; The skills of each employee based on their roles and functions in the company; Training programs costs coordinated by HR for other depts
Maturity
Extensive departmentalization with several small jobs and work descriptions, extensive and mature internal systems exist
Match the types of workforce planning techniques to the corresponding example.
External sourcing- advertising opening in newspaper and posting openings on social media, Job analysis- matching key organizational objectives to job roles and developing detailed job descriptions, Internal sourcing - asking talented employees for referrals and creating a job bid
What do flexible spending accounts (FSA) allow?
FSAs allows employees to use pretax dollars to pay for approved, out-of-pocket healthcare expenses that are not covered by insurance and dependent-care expenses. This increases take home pay while decreasing employer payroll taxes, since Social Security (FICA) payroll taxes are lowered.
Which examples demonstrate the use of technology to help support HR activities?
Facilitating collaboration between workers using social media, storing records electronically, and unifying technology systems to incorporate all business functions and processes
Explain fair use and how it is determined?
Fair use is when a person may use copyrighted material. The first qualification is the intended purpose of the work. Secondly, fair use is determined by the nature or type of work in question. Thirdly, the amount or proportion of the copyrighted work is evaluated. Lastly, the potential variation in market value of copyrighted material is determined.
There are many career development programs to manage talent. Match the type of career development to the example:
Fast track programs- Gilbert is a rising star in the company and is placed in increasingly challenging positions Dual career ladders- Chantal is a technical expert who moves into different lateral roles to advance her career and has equal opportunity to progress in the technical field in a management role Career development and training- Randal continues taking professional development courses to further his education Career mobility- Consuels receives a promotion since she has proven herself ready for more
Which options demonstrate financial analysis methods used to help program analysis, interpretation, and decision making?
Figuring out at which point during a project the revenue equals the cost, estimating the money value of qualitative costs, examining gross profit statements, and determining whether costs outweigh benefits
It is important for you to be involved in risk management activities. Math the internal risk category to an example:
Financial- cash flow is limited when a large supply order is placed, Hazard - a faulty electrical circuit caused fire at a company's manufacturing plant, Operational- a virus has damaged a company's strategic information system, Strategic - company incurs unanticipated costs in integrating the company it acquired
Sequence the Cost-benefit analysis:
Find all positive factors that make the project worthwhile, translate all benefits into dollar amounts, consider all obvious factors that add to the project price tag, measure all costs and translate then into dollar amounts, subtract all costs from all benefits, and decide whether the project is feasible
What are the main objectives of Total Quality Management?
Find and remove issues that interfere with quality Identify customers and satisfy customer needs Remove waste Encourage teamwork and pride
Which steps are involved in a benefits program needs assessment?
Find out how the current benefits program is used Closely examine the internal workforce demographics Carry out a gap analysis and take necessary corrective actions Carefully review the organization's strategy Review the organization's approach to total rewards
Based on best practices, place the steps involved in a disciplinary process in order
Find out which factors contribute to the problem Remind the employee of the expected performance level Provide a written warning statement that defines improvement steps Institute a suspension from work for a specific period of time Prepare termination documentation
Match each type of interviewer bias
First impression- outdated hair style Stereotyping- interviewer believes people who belong to a certain religious group will not work overtime
What do flexible benefit plans allow?
Flexible benefit plans allow employees to save taxes on the money they pay toward their group-sponsored health and dental plans, as well as on out-of-pocket medical expenses
Which guidelines are appropriate for establishing hiring criteria?
Focus on both abilities and experience Contain five to seven criteria Broad enough to encourage all good candidates to apply Outline quals, skills, experience, and abilities
Which of the following is prohibited by the Taft-Hartley Act?
Forcing emplyoees to join a union
Packages that lack strategic focus are often costly for organizations and employees. Implementing the strategic compensation process can help reduce this risk. Match each step in the process to its description.
Forecast the compensation market-Conduct surveys or interviews with experts and analyze current pay rates Administer compensation- Measure employee performance against the business strategy Create a pay structure- Develop levels of compensation Evaluate jobs- Identify compensable factors relevant to the business strategy Consider priorities and goals- Determine how the compensation strategy will support the company's future plans
What are the common types of plans that are used to motivate employees beyond normal levels?
Formula-based incentives Gain-sharing Profit-sharing plans
What are the primary objectives of TQM?
Foster teamwork and pride Identify customers and customer needs Eliminate waste Detect and eliminate problems that interfere with quality Develop an environment that encourages creativity
A manager nods in agreement when asked by a candidate if the company provides health benefits, even though it doesn't. Which common law tort applies?
Fraudulent misrepresentation
Which types of analysis can an HR professional use to conduct an internal workforce assessment?
Gap analysis, Demand analysis, Supply analysis
Match each workforce assessment technique to the appropriate example.
Gap analysis- an economic downturn might result in a surplus of packers, Supply analysis- a manager estimates that two staff members will be promoted, Demand analysis- HR compiles a report from experts on staffing needs
An organization is required to engage in DNA testing for law enforcement purposes. All data on employees is kept in one electronic file that is easily accessed by administrative staff. An employee has filed a lawsuit against this organization, claiming it doesn't keep genetic information confidential and in a separate medical file. Which law or regulations Is being violated?
Genetic Information Nondisclosure Act
Explain geographic differential pay?
Geographic differential pay is allotted to employees based on where they work. For example, sometimes employers have different pay structures for different locations and pay extra to attract workers to certain locales, such as remote, offshore oil rigs, and institute pay differentials for work in foreign countries
What does GRM stand for and how can it be useful to organizations?
Governance, risk management and compliance. By grouping GRM together, an organization can avoid redundancies in procedures and increase the effectiveness of communciation between each area
Infectious disease can be considered diabilities. Employers are responsible for educating employees regarding the risk and response to infectious disease.
HIV/AIDS- Occupational exposure is unlikely, this infection weakens the immune system Hepatitis C- Most infected people develop chronic liver infections. No vaccine is available Hepatitis B- It Poses the greatest risk to workers with occupational exposure. It mainly infects liver function. A vaccine is available. Tuberculosis- It infects the lungs and is spread through sneezing of an infected person
When needing to recruit people with great technical talent and abilities, a company will turn to the _______
HR IT recruiting specialist
An organization's leadership and management can play a key role in developing organization policies and creating a culture that regards safety as an uncompromised goal for the workplace. Match the stakeholders of the organization to their roles and responsibilities:
HR- assist in coordinating safety programs across various depts Safety committees- review safety programs and provides feedback for their improvement; Managers- conduct a needs analysis and set safety goals and policies; review current performance against predetermined goals Line managers- monitor employees' safety habits and recognize and report hazards and accidents; accept ultimate responsibility for the safety of their teams
Employees are responsible for their own health and safety and are required to comply with all OSHA rules, regulations, and standards applicable to them. The OSH Act helps by providing employees with certain rights. What do employees have the right to do under the OSH Act?
Have an authorized union representative included in a workplace inspection Be informed about workplace hazards Demand safety and health on the job Receive information and training on safety and health hazards in the workplace
HR professionals are usually involved in various aspects of risk management. Match each external risk category:
Hazard -unexpected clean-up costs for farmers due to a chemical spill in the area, Operational- stricter emission standards increase production costs for an automaker, Strategic - decreasing profit margins due to matching the competitions retail price, Financial - higher debt repayment due to an increase in interest rates
Which options are key standards under the OSH act?
Hazardous energy must be controlled Occupational noise exposure cannot be above 90 decibels for more than eight hours Personal protective equipment must be provided and required Emergency exits or additional exits must be provided and as far from one another as practical Process safety management needs to be in place to prevent injury from handling chemicals and how to handle highly hazardous chemicals
Which regulation improves the efficiency, protection, and security of health care information?
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), 1996
What do health and wellness benefits include?
Health and wellness benefits include all aspects of healthcare coverage that employers offer, such as major medical plans, dental and vision plans, prescription drug coverage, addiction and substance abuse programs, employee assistance programs (EAPs), wellness programs, and disability/life insurance.
Which activity is involved in the HR functional area of compensation and benefits?
Helping to plan, implement, and manage how employees in the company are paid
Taxpayer Relief Act (TRA), 1997
Helps coordinate rules for 401(k) plans
Taxpayer Relief Act (TRA), 1997
Helps coordinate rules for 401(k) plans; coordinate rules for 401(k) plans with rules that generally cover qualified retirement plans
McClelland's Theory
High achievers set moderately difficult goals and address a problem rather than leave the outcome to chance
Match the appraisal errors to the examples.
Horn effect- Rashaundra considers Lars her worst employee, based on one bad decision he made years ago Recency- Claude believes his worst employee has improved so significantly in the last quarter that he deserves a raise Biases - Manuel feels that Ellen's appearance during the interview was quite offensive, so he gives her a low rating
Which do you think are effective examples of questions that will elicit relevant information about past performance?
How did you deal with multitasking on the last project you worked on? Can you tell me about a time when you disagreed with something a manager wanted you to do?
What are some questions HR professionals can answer to determine if their recruitment and sourcing efforts are successful?
How many successful hires did a recruiter generate, What is the cost of training new employees, What is the total cost per hire using a job board
What are human process interventions?
Human process interventions are specific types of interruptions in an organization model through human interactions. Specific techniques used in human process interventions are coaching, large-group interventions, and training and development.
Match the functional areas to activities HR uses to collaborate with them?
IT- ensure protection of employee information and privacy, Sales and marketing- provide customized training to improve presentation skills, Finance and accounting- help prepare budgets for all functions, R&D - hire resources with specific education and skills to develop a new product, Operations - meet short-term resource requirements to meet product demand
Affirmative action plan effectiveness is checked during implementation and review stages? Match each example to key aspects:
Identification of problem areas- analyze organizational employment practices and process Internal audits- review reports on which employees are promoted, transferred, retained, and trained Action-oriented programs- specify how the organization will overcome barriers to equal opportunity Reporting systems- update management on program effectiveness and improvement suggestions
Before developing and implementing programs to manage workplace risks, you need to identify and assess the risks that may impact the safety, health, security, and privacy of the employees. Sequence the actions in workplace risk assessment.
Identify a workplace risk Decide who might be harmed and how Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions Record your findings Share your findings with management
Performance improvement plans help managers when an employee's performance or behavior is cause for concern. What roles do performance improvement plans have in addressing problems?
Identify problematic performance Identify the support needed Set expectations Monitor and review progress Specify consequences for not meeting goals
A cost benefit analysis might help a company decide whether an initiative is worthwhile. Sequence the steps:
Identify project benefits, express the project benefits, identify project cost factors, estimate project cost factors, calculate the net project gain or loss, and decide on project viability
Using the information from a risk analysis, security managers can implement security measures and controls to protect the organization's assets from the emergencies that are most likely to occur. What are the steps of the risk analysis process?
Identifying risks Assessing probability and costs of the risks occurring Evaluating the impact of the risks Developing plans for workplace security
Securities and Exchange Act, 1934
Impacts the registration of all securities and disclosure and trading restrictions for insiders; helps reform the securities industry
Securities and Exchange Act, 1934
Impacts the registration of all securities and disclosures and trading restrictions for insiders
Developing an effective recruitment strategy involves a number of stages. Match each stage of developing a recruitment strategy to an activity performed in that stage.
Initial audit- understand the current strategy and approach, Peer review- conduct third-party review, Final assessment - meet with key players to gauge level of understanding of the strategy, Goal development- get buy-in from stakeholders, Implementation -set deadlines for key actions and milestone deliverables up front
Contract negotiations are very important to both management and union representatives when bargaining. What are the common types of contract negotiations?
Integrative Distributive Interest-based
Which options show the ways in which training can be evaluated?
Interviewing learners to determine whether the training was well received Using a test after the training to see whether the training has changed attitudes or increased the skills or knowledge of the learners Using performance testing to see whether learners have changed how they act or what they do on the job because of the training Reviewing the productivity report against predefined objectives Reviewing historical data, external studies, and expert opinions to estimate what improvements are attributable to training
Which options show the ways in which training can be evaluated?
Interviewing learners to determine whether the training was well received Using a test after the training to see whether the training has changed attitudes or increased the skills or knowledge of the learners Using performance testing to see whether learners have changed how they act or what they do on the job because of the training Reviewing the productivity report against predefined objectives Reviewing historical data, external studies, and expert opinions to estimate what improvements are attributable to training
What does a mission statement focus on?
It focuses on the work of the organization on a day-to-day basis. For example, an organic restaurant might have the following mission statement: "To serve customers healthy meals made from the freshest, locally sourced organic ingredients"
One of the benefits of integrating ATS into a company is:
It helps identify working techniques and policies. It helps with the identification of areas that are nothing but a waste of resources. It assists with making the right decisions on behalf of the company.
Employees who have been through strong onboarding programs will gain a better understanding of the job environment, what the organization expects, and how to be productive. Which statements describe effective employee onboarding programs?
It is an integrated effort of multiple staff members It begins as early as possible It is customized for the organization and for the job It is focused on organizational success
What is social capital?
It is the community's relationship with, and attitude toward the organization. An organization can boost its social capital by engaging community partners from schools to social or volunteer groups to other organizations. These partnerships demonstrate an organization's commitment to the community in which it operates and offer an opportunity for community members to develop a closer relationship with the organization
When does negligent retention occur?
It occurs when an employer either knew or should have known that an employee is unqualified to remain in their position at the company but was allowed to stay in the role, and the employee caused a violation or rights or an injury to another party during or after working hours
Why is Unemployment Insurance important?
It was created under the Social Security Act (SSA) of 1935 as a way to provide partial income replacement for a period of time to individuals who find themselves unemployed involuntarily
Why was the Civil Rights Act of 1991 enacted?
It was enacted to address workplace discrimination, specifically the practice of preventing employees from reaching higher-level positions of management based solely on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
What is personal protective equipment (PPE)?
Items provided to employees that include safety glasses, hard hats, and safety shoes
What should be included in a job description?
Job tasks that meet company needs, description of who a successful candidate will deal with, primary and secondary duties, and skills needed to perform the primary job duties
Which activities can be used to source candidates externally?
Jobs are posted through trade and professional association publications University recruitment programs help fill job openings Applications not prompted by any sourcing techniques are considered for job openings
Calculate the cost
Justifying the training investment to senior management
The underlying principle behind ATS is
Keyword matches
Propose solutions
Knowing the options for the sales team are self-study or online training
Benjamin Bloom subdivided the cognitive domain into levels of learning, which you can use to define how well learners have mastered a skill or competency. Sequence the six levels of learning.
Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation
Blake Mouton's theory of leadership
Leaders must balance the team's needs and organizational objectives when getting a task done
Blake Mouton's theory of leadership
Leaders must balance the team's needs and organizational objectives when getting a task done; effective leaders are able to balance the needs of people and the objectives of production
Match each level of evaluation uses to assess training levels to its method?
Learning- learners take pretests and posttests that are compared to control group results Reaction- learners give feedback on the usefulness of training Behavior- a manager observes learners on the job after they've completed training Results- the company weighs the investments made in a training program against its outcome
Match examples of labor protests to their categories
Legal strike- workers walk off the job when the company and union fail to reach an agreement Illegal strike- workers walk off the job to pressure an employer to assign them work Boycott- workers refuse to purchase the products and services of a company Picketing- workers inform the public about issues with their employer through sign posting and groups holding signs
1968: CONSUMER CREDIT PROTECTION
Limited garnishment amounts on employee wages. Prohibited discharge of employees for a single garnishment order.
1914: Clayton Act
Limited the use of injunctions to break strikes; exempted unions from the Sherman Act
Direct patent infringement
Lisa changes the variables in a patented computer program to make it her own; Taku takes a patented fridge design and copies it; Morgan copies a patented trailer hitch and starts a company to manufacture the hitch, offshore; Scott adapts a patented graphic design so the image is still recognizable but adds his own twist
which examples demonstrate best practices for effective workplace discipline?
Listen to employee's side of the story before implementing disciplinary action Implement disciplinary measures equally across the board Immediately implement disciplinary practices Ensure employees know why they are being disciplined
Which examples demonstrate effective strategies for building positive employee relations so that the organization remains union-free?
Listening and agreeing to reasonable requests for alternate work schedules Regularly gauging employee satisfaction and morale levels in the organization Being approachable and reassuring in regards to employee complaints and problems
HR professionals should be able to develop, implement, and evaluate expatriate and foreign national compensation and benefits programs. What are the key considerations for doing so?
Local practices and regulations are essential inputs Benefits that are valued in the country are included Local and international markets affect talent retention Allowances are made for the cost of living Contingency plans are created to reduce risks
Which rules govern lockouts?
Lockouts may occur to prevent sabotage to company property Lockouts must solely support the employer's legitimate bargaining position Lockouts must include a continuation of good-faith bargaining
What does long-term disability insurance do for an employee?
Long-term disability takes over when an employee is still unable to return to work after being out on short-term disability. Long-term disability insurance pays an employee a percentage of their salary-typically 50-60 percent- until he or she can return to work or for the number of years listed in the company's policy
____ is considered the third employee need according to Maslow's Hierarchy.
Love
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA), 1993
Lowers compensation limits for qualified retirement programs
There are four specific requirements related to record-keeping that companies must adhere to under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Match each requirement with its description. Not all requirements are standards for payroll record-keeping.
Maintenance- Records must include specific demographic information Retention- Records are required to be kept for up to three years Storage- Records must be kept in a secure location Access - Records must be available for auditing
Match the FLSA payroll record-keeping requirements with the corresponding examples:
Maintenance- companies keep complete and current payroll records Storage- records are kept in a secure location Access- records are available for inspection Retention- companies keep records for the required duration
Controlling costs is an important aspect in accounting practices related to compensation and benefits. Which examples demonstrate accounting practices that HR professionals should be familiar with when tracking and reporting on compensation policies and programs?
Managers implement required personnel decisions and stay within a prescribed budget Employees' compensation packages are forecasted to help determine the next year's budget Administrative duties and processes are monitored continually to keep expenditures in check
There are key areas that need to be focused on in order to successfully manage vendors. What are the 4 key areas:
Managing relationships between employees and vendors, transferring technical info about company systems and tools, providing training programs to enhance communication skills, and offering regular feedback and support on goal performance
What are quantitative job evaluation methods?
Methods that use a scaling system and provide a score that indicates how valuable one job is when compared to another job. The two specific examples are the point factor method and factor comparison method
The functional organizational structure is subdivided into smaller units known as:
Micro units
Because employer-union relations differ among companies, there are several bargaining strategies that can be used. Collective bargaining strategies are based on the number of unions and the employers involved.
Multi-employer or coalition- the union negotiates with a number of employers acting jointly in a regional area; the union negotiates with a temporary employment agency and an employer at the same time Single-unit- a specific union negotiates with a specific employer Parallel or pattern- a union uses the gains of negotiations with one employer in other negotiations; union uses gains made with one employer as a basis for negotiations with another Multi-unit or coordinated- several unions represent different bargaining units in the same organization; several unions represent different employees
Common law tort claims happen when an individual's safety, well-being, finances, enjoyment of property, or reputation are negatively affected. Match each situation with the applicable common law tort.
Negligent hiring and retention - A customer experiences verbal abuse from an employee known for this behavior Defamation- An employee falsely tells an interviewer that the VP engages in insider trading Fraudulent misrepresentation- An employee accepts a job after the interviewer falsely claims the company offers on-site childcare Invasion of privacy- A company collects employees' financial data when they use online banking at work Employee's duty of loyalty- An employee tells customers the product is not as good as their competitor's
What are non-discretionary benefits?
Non-discretionary benefits are those benefits that employers are mandated to provide based on certain statutes. These benefits include social security, Medicare, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, unpaid Family medical leave (based on FMLA), and continuation of healthcare coverage (based on COBRA).
What are non-exempt positions?
Non-exempt positions fall directly under the FLSA regulations. These employees earn a salary of less than $23,600 per year or $455 per week. Non-exempt positions do not involve the supervision of others or the use of independent judgement; they also do not require specialized education
In addition to base salary, rewards are key aspects of compensation plans. Match each example with the type of compensation it describes:
Nonfinancial-mentorship program, Financial- profit sharing and time off with pay, Benefit- car allowance
HR professionals are involved in a variety of roles during the employment litigation process. Match the first four steps in the process to the activities HR undertakes during those steps.
Notification- Alert the company's legal counsel to receipt of waiver-complaints Answering the complaint- Supply the company attorney with the employee's files; Assist the company attorney with internal investigations Scheduling conferences- Work with the company attorneys to plan time and effort needed for the case Discovery process- Gather information to prepare initial disclosures; Provide an oral deposition for the company
HR professionals are involved in a variety of roles during the employment litigation process. Match the first four steps in the process to the activities.
Notification- alert the company's legal counsel to receipt of wavier complaints Discovery process- gather information to prepare initial disclosures; provide an oral deposition for the company Scheduling conferences- work with the company attorneys to plan time and effort needed for the case Answering the complaint- supply the company attorney with the employee's files; assist the company attorney with internal investigations
Which regulation requires employers to refer in the release to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act?
Older Worker' Benefits Protection Act (OWBPPA), 1990
Indirect patent infringement
Omar persuades a business partner to take the patented software and make copies; Lance invents and patents a new species of algae. A fellow researcher convinces an offshore drug company to use this algae in their research and development; Kenya is granted a patent for a 90% efficient small engine motor and partners with a manufacturing company
Who was William Edwards Deming?
One of the most discussed and influential proponents of quality control management. Deming developed fourteen core principles for improving efficiency and productivity of an organization
Employees and employers have several options available with respect to the choice of an ADR approach to fit the dispute situation. Match the approaches with their descriptions.
Open-door policy- Employees are encouraged to meet with their immediate manager to discuss issues Designated officer- An individual chosen by the organization conducts investigations Peer review- A group of employees examines the issue Mediation- A trained neutral third party facilitates both parties to come to a mutually acceptable settlement Arbitration- The dispute is submitted to one or more impartial persons for a ruling
What are key domains essential to HRD?
Organizational performance Organizational learning Organizational change
An effective performance management system needs a number of key components that, when working well together, can help drive increased organizational performance. What are the components of an effective performance management system?
Organizational values and objectives Performance management standards Employee performance and behaviors Assessment and feedback
HR professionals use interview techniques to ensure the right candidates are chosen.
Patterned interview- candidates are asked specific skill-related questions according to their level of experience, Situational interview- candidates are sked to respond to a hypothetical situation, Group interview- several candidates are put in real-work situations to see how they perform, Unstructured interview- interview questions are not decided in advance, making the agenda more flexible
In order to plan staffing activities, HR professionals need to be familiar with various staffing alternatives. Match the type of hire to each staffing solutions.
Payrolling-a large corporation chooses the best project managers and refers them to a company that assigns their work, Temp assignments- a team leader for a software development corporation is responsible for the product development department during a manager' s sick leave, Independent contractor- an IT specialist is needed to develop, write, and submit a proposal, Temp-to-hire- a company offers a program that grants full-time employment to salespeople who meet or exceed their quotas, On call- a telemarketing company required back-up operators during peak months
Which steps are required when developing a strategic compensation plan?
Perform a cross-impact analysis to assess the impact of interacting trends Use strategic methods such as job ranking, grading, or comparing Create the range in salary for each block or grade and an incentive plan Review the compensation plan at regular intervals Determine how the compensation strategy will follow the labor market and attract employees
A job description is the key output of the job analysis and is the formal documentation that is created to encapsulate the essentials of a job. Which key elements are commonly included in a job description?
Physical demands and work environment Chain of command Responsibilities, level of autonomy, and objectives Metrics to determine whether objectives are met
Sequence Maslows hierarchy of needs
Physiological Safety Love or belonging Esteem Self-actualization
Match each description to the associated key aspect of an affirmative action plan:
Placement goals- establishes objectives to increase the number of women and minorities in certain job groups, Availability analysis- gathers information on how many women and minorities with the right skills are available within the organization and through recruitment process, Workforce and job group analysis- breaks down number and percentage of women and minorities in each job group, Organizational profile- a numbers-based snapshot of an organization's staffing process
Which plans provide nonqualified deferred compensation?
Plans that provide an additional pension benefit to participants Plans that allow some nonprofit organizations to supplement executives' retirement incomes Plans that allow participants to defer some of their compensation to a future date
After preparing for a termination meeting, managers need to understand how to conduct the meeting with the employee. Which examples demonstrate correct ways to conduct termination meetings?
Politely offering the employee being terminated a seat during the meeting Opening the meeting by telling the employee she is no longer employed Responding to the departing employee's questions in a calm manner Allowing the departing employee time to regain his composure
Substance abuse can have a major impact on the individual, the workers around him, and the organization, including a negative impact on health, safety, and morale. When can drug tests be performed?
Post-accident Pre-employment Upon reasonable suspicion Periodically randomly
Match the cultural dimensions in the workplace to their examples.
Power distance - Workers don't expect to be asked for their opinions Uncertainty avoidance- Workers tend to reject changes to traditional methods Individualism versus collectivism - Workers are rewarded for individual achievement Masculinity versus femininity- Workers value competitiveness Long-term orientation- Workers respect long-term commitments
Which plans are commonly referred to employees for health care coverage?
Preferred provider organization (PPO) Indemnity plans Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
HR plays an important role after the discovery process step in the employment litigation process. Match each remaining step in the process with them activities HR performs during that step.
Pretrial and trial- provide advice on employee-witness testimony; schedule witnesses Summary judgement- sign an affidavit; gather facts to support the motion to dismiss Motion to dismiss- usually no involvement
Although fire prevention and workplace security plans provide measures that organizations can take to prevent fires and workplace violence, an emergency or disaster can still occur. What are the elements of an emergency response plan?
Procedures Notification Responsibilities Training Record-keeping
Match each workplace communication method to description
Procedures- guide actions and leave little room for interpretation Policies- provide broad guidelines about organizational practices Work rules- stipulate what employees can and can't do and guide actions and leave little room for interpretation
Questions such as "is your workforce planning adaptable enough to adapt to a "blended environment"? are important during the _____ process.
Progress monitoring
1947: Labor-Management Relations Act (LMRAl; Taft- Hartley)
Prohibited closed shops. Restricted union shops. Allowed states to pass "right to work" laws. Prohibited jurisdictional strikes and secondary boycotts. Allowed employers to permanently replace economic strikers. Established the Federal Mediation and Conciliation s Service. Allowed an 80-day cooling off period for national emergency strikers.
1967: Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
Prohibited discrimination against persons 40 years or older. Established conditions for bona fide occupational qualification exceptions
Executive Order 11246 (Passed in 1965)
Prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of: RACE COLOR CREED NATIONAL ORGIN Required affirmative steps for all terms and conditions of employment. Required Affirmative Action Plan for contractors with 50 or more employees
1986: Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)
Prohibited employment of individuals who are not legally authorized to work in the US; Required I-9s for all employees
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA, 2008)
Prohibits group health plans and health insurers from denying coverage to a healthy individual based solely on a genetic predisposition
As a PHR, you must perform this role to enhance Employee and Labor Relations:
Promote organizational procedures and policies such as the creation of an employee handbook
As a PHR, you must perform this role to enhance Employee and Labor Relations:
Promote organizational procedures and policies such as the creation of an employee handbook.
Which techniques are used for employer branding efforts?
Promoting the wage or price a new hire would receive Ensuring the company's people live up to the brand Using marketing tools such as campaigns to create a positive company image
Workplace security involves the physical and procedural measures used to protect organizational assets. Which options are examples of measures organizations can use to protect their assets?
Proper financial authorization and approval Security cameras Nondisclosure agreements Antibullying policies
1935: National Labor Relations Act (NLRA; Wagner Act)
Protected the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively; identified unfair labor practices; established the NLRB
1932: Norris- La Guardia
Protected the right to organize; outlawed yellow-dog contracts
1926: Railroad Labor Act
Protected unionization rights: allowed for a 90-day cooling off period to prevent strikes in national emergencies. Covers railroad and unions
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
Protects the rights of military personnel with regard to employment benefits
Older Workers' Benefits Protection Act (OWBPA), 1990
Protects workers 40 year of age or older from severance agreement discrimination
Older Workers' Benefits Protection Act (OWBPA), 1990
Protects workers 40 years of age or older from severance agreement discrimination
1969: Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA)
Provided benefits for coal miners suffering from pneumoconiosis due to mine work.
1916: Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA)
Provided benefits similar to workers' compensation for federal employees injured on the job
1927: Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act
Provided workers' compensation benefits for maritime workers injured on navigable waters of the U.S. or on piers, docks, and terminals
Vision
Provides a realistic and futuristic image of the organization's future (Ex. To be the most innovative software development company within three years)
Patient Protections and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, 2010)
Provides dependent children coverage up to age 26; Helps ensure affordable health coverage
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
Provides employees who have lost health benefits with continuation of their group health plan
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconcilliation Act (COBRA)
Provides employees with the right to choose to continue group health benefits
What does the Clayton Act provide?
Provides examples of potentially illegal or monopoly-forming activities, including mergers, exclusive dealings, and price discrimination. In addition, the act states that labor unions and agricultural organizations do not fall under the authority of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Finally this legislation states that labor disputes are not subject to a court injunction, except in cases involving a threat of property damage
What does workers' compensation provide?
Provides fixed payments to the employee in the event of an injury or illness
Retirement Equity Act (REA), 1984
Provides legal protection for spousal benefits of retirement plans
Retirement Equity Act (REA), 1984
Provides legal protection for spousal benefits of retirement plans; requires approval from a spouse if participants don't want to provide survivor benefits
Small Business Job Protection Act (SBJPA), 1996
Provides rule changes for 401(k) and IRA accounts
Which activities are examples of programs that meet the changing needs of employees?
Providing employees the option of telecommuting three days per week Creating diversity training programs to foster a respectful work environment
As an HR professional involved in or supporting termination meetings, you need to keep a few considerations in mind. Which considerations are important when preparing for termination meetings?
Providing support and information to the person conducting the termination meeting Notifying relevant staff about the termination, including managers and coworkers Designating a company contact for the terminated employee for communication need
Sequence the steps in an organization's budgetary process.
Quantitative goals are set for the whole organization for the budget period; Department's budgetary goals are aligned with organizational objectives; Quantitative and qualitative methods are used to forecast revenues and expenses; Departments prepare the first draft of individual budgets; Individual and master budgets drafts adherence to original budgetary goals is ensured; Senior management approves alignment of budget with strategic plan and goals
There are a number of tools HR professionals can use to help gather data for a benefits program needs assessment. Match common tools with their descriptions. Each tool might match to more than one description.
Questionnaires and surveys- Gathers data from individuals, groups, and the entire organization Benchmarking - Determines what other organizations at the top are doing; Used to learn best practices Trend analysis- Identifies patterns over a period of time; Helps evaluate the efficacy of corrective actions
When does quid pro quo sexual harassment take place?
Quid pro quo sexual harassment takes place when a superior conditions employment (i.e. promotional opportunity, raise, etc.) on sexual favors
Calculating the return on investment (ROI) and the break-even point are two financial measures important for finding out the effectiveness of business investments in a variety of organizational projects and programs. Match the financial measure to their description:
ROI- Determines how many dollars are received for every one invested after all costs are recovered and calculated by subtracting the cost of investment from the value received from the investment, and divide the result by the cost of the investment. Break even- is calculated by dividing the total fixed costs of production by the price per unit less the variable costs to produce the product
HR professionals need to be familiar with job evaluations in order to develop equitable compensation systems for employees and organizations. Match the methods for evaluating jobs with their descriptions.
Ranking- Jobs are compared to each other based on their value to the organization Classification- Jobs are grouped into categories based on shared characteristics Point- Jobs are assigned compensable factors that form a total score Factor comparison- Jobs are ranked by compensable factors which are mapped to a dollar value Market-based- Jobs are compared to similar jobs in the industry
The levels of evaluations should be conducted in sequence to increase the value of the information collected. Match the levels of evaluation to examples of evaluation methods performed during that level.
Reaction- Training participants fill out a survey to rate satisfaction levels Learning- Training participants take a pretest to assess what knowledge they need Behavior- A supervisor evaluates how well training participants apply the new skills; A supervisor observes training participants while they perform their duties Results - HR determines the direct and indirect costs and benefits involved in a training program
Employee involvement is usually accomplished through strategies that allow employees more responsibility and accountability for product development, operations, and delivery of products and services. Which strategies help to ensure employee involvement?
Redesigning a job to be in line with a company's objectives Offering employees a work schedule that suits their needs Organizing employee teams that are right for the team's activities Encouraging employees to contribute suggestions
What does Cliff-Vesting do?
Refers to employees becoming 100% vested after a specific number of years of service
Differentiate between the regiocentric and geocentric approaches for staffing global assignments by matching each with its description.
Regiocentric- developing talent and skills within regions with minimal interregional staffing Geocentric- placing the best talent for important jobs, regardless of their country of origin
What are the key considerations for aligning the HR function with organizational strategy?
Relying on objective data as support for your recommendations Measuring the strategic performance of the HR function Working as an expert on strategic human resource planning Building partnerships within and outside the organization to best support HR customers Viewing the function areas as important customers
1988: Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN)
Require 60 day notice when 500 employees or 33% of the workforce is being laid off. Notice for mass layoffs.
What type of information should you include when updating a job description?
Required KSAs Minimum quals Essential duties Nonessential duties
1935: Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) / Social Security Act
Required employers and employees to pay social security taxes
1970: Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act)
Required employers to provide a safe workplace and comply with safety and health standards. Established OSHA to enforce safety regulations. Established the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to research ,evaluate, and recommend hazard reduction measures
Griggs V. Duke Power 1971
Required employers to show that job requirements are related to the job. Established that lack of intention to discriminate isn't a defense against claims of discrimination
1988: Drug Free Workplace Act
Required federal contractors to develop and implement drug free workplace policies
1965: Service Contract Act
Required government contractors to pay prevailing wages and benefits.
Retirement Equity Act (REA), 1984
Requires approval from a spouse if participants don't want to provide survivor benefits
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 1974
Requires companies to follow fiduciary standards for managing pension and benefit plans
Pension Protection Act (PPA), 2006
Requires employers to fully fund their pension plans; allows employers to automatically enroll employees in 401(k) plans
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISSA), 1974
Requires organizations to disclose financial information about pension and benefit plans; Requires companies to follow fiduciary standards for managing pension and benefit plans
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA), 2001
Requires that limits to employer contributions be the same as those for profit-sharing plans
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), 2008
Requires that the standards used to determine medical necessity are made available to plan participants
Match examples of unfair labor practices by unions to their categories.
Restraining employees- union representatives coerce employees into participating in union activities Requiring employers to discriminate- a union asks the employer to terminate an employee who is working against the union Restraining employers- a union insists that the company accept contracted terms the union has negotiated with another bargaining unit
What documentation should be kept in employee personnel files?
Resumes Performance evaluations Salary changes Disciplinary actions
The typical process for conducting a benefits program needs analysis involves a number of key steps in order to help understand where the organization is today, where it's headed, and how a benefits strategy can help the organization reach its objectives. Match each step in the process to its description.
Review the organization's strategy- Determine level of importance of compensation and benefits Review the organization's approach to total rewards- Examine the types of benefits programs currently offered Examine the organization's workforce demographics- Determine the current statistical characteristics of the employees Analyze the design and utilization of the current benefits program- Understand how the current system is being used Conduct a gap analysis- Compare organizational and employee requirements to the current system
Judgmental demand analysis:
Senior management notifies HR that more employees with IT skills are needed throughout the company- Senior management notifies HR that more employees with IT skills are needed throughout the company
Service-Contract Act, 1936
Service providers with contracts over $2,500 must be paid prevailing wages for the area
which options are guidelines to follow when extending written offers of employment?
Set procedures for responding Clearly outline offer terms State job expectations Provide compensation details
What is graded vesting?
Set schedule where employees are vested at a percentage amount less than 100% each year, until they accrue enough years of service, to be considered 100% vested
There is not one best or most popular disciplinary process across organizations but many organizations may have a similar structure that includes five progressive steps. Place the steps involved in a disciplinary process in order
Set up an open-problem solving session Speak to the employee about what standard of performance is acceptable Give the employee a formal notice to sign to ensure that performance levels are understood Require the employee to take a leave from work Immediately dismiss the employee from the company
Social Networking
Sharing info and ideas on a personal and professional level and providing customers with immediate information
What does short-term disability do for an employee?
Short-term disability pays an employee a percentage of their salary-typically 50-70%-after a brief waiting period. This is in the event that they are unable to work for a short period of time-normally between 10 and 26 weeks- following a non-work related injury or illness
Strategy implementation
Short-term goals are set, action plans are created, and resources are allocated to activities. Ex. Set short-term departmental goals and responsibilities, and provide support needed to achieve goals
Which actions taken by an organization demonstrate structural changes?
Simplifying global operations of a large corporation by merging similar operations into one business unit Acquiring a company that becomes a subsidiary of the organization Selling three chronically loss-incurring production units to consolidate profitability of the remaining ones
An organization's pay system is the approach it uses to help attract, retain, and motivate employees. Match types of base-pay systems with their descriptions
Single rate- All employees are paid the same base rate Time-based step-rate- Employee pay rates are based on longevity Performance- Base pay increases for employees are the result of performance Productivity- Employees are paid according to what they produce Person- Pay is based on the employee's level of experience
It is important that a company map out its workforce with a view toidentifying existing skills and needs through a process known as a:
Skills gap analysis
What are pilot programs?
Small-scale programs designed to test the feasibility of an intended project
A company can work on its brand awareness by using.
Social media platforms
What Is an auditory learner?
Someone who depends on hearing and speaking to learn
What is a visual learner?
Someone who prefers to associate information with images
As a HR professional involved in or supporting termination meetings, you need to keep a few considerations in mind. Which considerations are important when preparing for termination meetings?
Sorting out any financial matters relating to a terminated employee Notifying relevant staff about the termination, including managers and coworkers Designating a company contact for the terminated employee for communication needs Providing support and information to the person conducting the termination meeting
The HRCI offers a wide range of certifications for different professionals. Which of the following is not a certificate offered?
Special professional in HR
The FLSA sets record keeping standards for employment that HR professionals must be familiar with. Which statements demonstrate specific requirements related to record keeping that organizations must adhere to under the FLSA?
Specific demographic information is kept for each employee Employee contact information is kept for three years Records are kept in an online database that requires an access password A company prepares for an audit of their records
Which roles do performance improvement plans play in addressing employee behavior issues?
Specify consequences if the behavior isn't corrected Set expectations for the desired behavior Monitor and review the employee's progress Identify the resources needed Identify the behavior to correct
The succession planning process involves five stages that develop internal talent to fill current and future leadership positions. Match stages in the succession planning process to their key activities.
Stage one: Initiate the program- HR organizes employee meetings to explain the succession plan program Stage two: Identify the key positions and talent pool- HR establishes a profile for each key position; Managers conduct performance evaluations on employees under their leadership Stage three: Conduct a needs analysis- HR identifies skill or resource gaps Stage four: Develop and implement the program- HR helps prepare and implement individual development plans Stage five: Evaluate the program- The company determines the effectiveness of the program
Match stages in the succession planning process to activities HR professionals assist in.
Stage one: initiate the program- Communicating succession planning program details to employees Stage two: identify the key positions and talent pool- identifying current and future key positions in the company Stage three: conduct a needs analysis- identifying gaps in resources Stage four: develop and implement the program- preparing succession planning process visual aids Stage five: evaluate the program- monitor the program on an ongoing basis and measuring the financial success of the program
Match stages in the organizational life cycle
Start up- almost all business strategies are created by the owner; Maturity- HR reviews policies, supports employees and reinvigorates the workforce; Decline- decision making is centralized, fewer employees take on more responsibility as the organization shrinks; Growth- number of employees begins to increase and HR begins developing policies and training plans for them
Match the stage performed in the strategic planning process to the activities involved:
Strategy implementation - ensure individuals are assigned responsibility for each step in a strategic plan; Evaluation- periodically measure profitability and customer satisfaction needs and add additional resources to ensure a dept can meets its goals; formulation - decide how the organization will achieve its vision and define how the company will conduct business; development - Conduct a SWOT and SLEPT analysis
Which of the following are internal business environment factors used in SWOT analysis?
Strengths and weaknesses
Match each appraisal error to its example
Strictness- Sasha feels the standards of the appraisal are too low and increases them slightly Leniency- Todd gives Nikki a higher performance rating to avoid conflict Central tendency- Polly feels all the performance ratings for Oralia are average, with no clear strong or weak points Contrast- Max's appraisal of Naomi depends on how she measures up with Luther in the team player category Halo effect- Lars continues to rate Kenya favorably due to her work on a high-profile project
What does a succession planning involve?
Succession planning involves preparing current employees for future advancements or promotions by developing their knowledge, skills, and abilities
After the discovery process, HR professionals perform tasks during the remaining three steps in the employment litigation process. Match each step with appropriate activities HR undertakes during that step
Summary judgement- sign an affidavit if no doubts exist about the accuracy of the testimony and gather facts to show the plaintiff does not have a sound case Motion to dismiss- Sit with the attorney during the hearing of the case and help prepare for a disgruntled worker's testimony
Walsh-Healy Act, 1936
Suppliers and manufacturers of products for the federal government must be paid prevailing wages
A learning organization is one where learning is achieved by the whole organizational system. Which options are the basic disciplines that distinguish learning organizations from traditional organizations?
Systems thinking Personal mastery Mental models Shared vision Team learning
65.A/an Analysis enables an organization to identify its potential problems and its major areas of strength as well.
Task
Through a/an an organization can appraise its employees performance.
Task Analysis
Specialization of work
Tasks are subdivided into separate jobs
Match each example strategy to its strategy type.
Team building- Interpersonal strategy Flexible work arrangements- Interpersonal strategy Job design - Technological strategy Span of control- Structural strategy
Labor market assessments look at data from key areas that impact the supply and demand of qualified individuals. Match the areas being assessed to the corresponding key elements of labor market assessment:
Technical- classifying skills by occupation; expertise in a specific skill Geographic labor market- conducting an international, national, or regional breakdown of skill levels; availability of certified professionals in an area Educational market- projecting how many finance-related graduates will be available next year; background in a specific field of study Labor force- knowing the number of all employed and unemployed adults; availability of employable people Industry-related development - analyzing new competitors entering the market; new competition entering the market Economic indicator - determining wages by region and occupation; wages by region and occupation
The SLEPT model categorizes forces in the external business environment into social, legal, economic, political, and technological factors that may affect an organization's approach to strategy. Match the example for external force:
Technological- robotics equipment for packaging is very affordable; Political- a gov't gives subsidies for new IT companies; Legal and regulatory- noise control regulation will take effect in the new year; Economic- forecasters predict a low unemployment rate; Social and demographic - only 65% of the customer base places orders online
What is the Copyright Act of 1976?
The Copyright Act of 1976 is the foundational law in the United States regarding property ownership of film, radio, and musical and dramatic works, literary and pictorial works, and architectural structures. Superseding local and state copyright laws, the statute establishes a standardized and universally applied measure to the country's major social and technological transformations in media
Question Which of the following pieces of legislation established commission to study how women and minorities face significant barriers and are prevented from reaching management positions?
The Glass Ceiling Act
The body responsible for conducting the PHR certification examination is:
The Human Resource Certification Institute
Balance sheet
The IA's purchasing power with employees in similar positions in the home country is equalized; IAs are given incentives to offset the inconveniences of relocation on top of a total compensation package
Why was the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) created?
The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) was passed in 1986 and amended in 1990. This act was created to prevent discrimination against individuals based on national origin or citizenship on elements such as employment, pay, or benefits, so long as they are legally able to work in the U.S.
What is the Norris-LaGuardia Act (1932) designed to do?
The Norris-LaGuardia Act (1932) is designed to protect workers' rights to form and join a union, as well as their right to strike
Inspections may occur at OSHA's discretion, although an organization, or any employee, can arrange for an inspection as well. It is during inspections that safety violations may be cited.
The OSHA inspector presents credentials The inspector leads an opening conference to explain why the site was selected and what the inspection will involve The inspector might examine medical records during the facilities tour The inspector reviews findings with the employer
Explain the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA)(1990) does for employees:
The OWBPA was passed as an amendment to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967. Under this act, it is illegal to discriminate based on an employee's age in the provision of benefits, such as pension programs, retirement plans, or life insurance
What is the Pareto analysis system?
The Pareto Analysis System is a methodological process employed by business leaders to effectively determine their most revenue-raising technologies, workforce, and resources
What is the Pregnancy Discrimination Act?
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act, passed in 1978, was an amendment to Title VII of 1964. The act of applies to all employers with fifteen or more employees and states that while pregnant women are working, they are to be treated in the same way as other employees who are performing their jobs
What does the Old Age, Surivor, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program ensure?
The SSA of 1935 designed the OASDI program to ensure continuation of income for individuals who are retired, spouses and dependent children of employees who are deceased, and individuals who qualify for social security disability
Why was the Trademark Act created?
The Trademark Act was created to provide for the protection and registration of trademarks and service marks.
What does the U.S. Patent Act prohibit?
The U.S. Patent Act expressly prohibits the unauthorized use, sale, reproduction, or distribution of the product without the consent of the patent holder
Who does the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) (1994) protect?
The USERRA was passed to protect the employment, reemployment and retention rights of civilian employees who serve in uniformed services, veterans and members of the Reserve
What is the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures designed to do?
The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, passed in 1978, were designed to prohibit selection procedures that have an adverse impact on protected groups.
What does the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) require?
The WARN Act of 1988 requires that a minimum of sixty days' notice be given in advance of plant closings and mass layoffs.
Which of the following pieces of legislation dictates what are known as unfair labor practices?
The Wagner Act
What is sabotage?
The act of purposely weakening or corrupting a country or a company
What does corporate restructuring involve?
The act of reorganizing a company in order to make it more profitable for its present-day situation. Corporate restructuring can take on one of two forms: financial or organizational restructuring.
There are many benefits of following best practices when implementing discipline in the workplace. In which cases have the best practices been implemented?
The consequence for stealing is dismissal, no exceptions HR is aware of a witness to an employee destroying company property Disciplinary actions will be relative to the nature of the infringement All employees sign the employee handbook indicating they have read and understood policies Immediate investigations of workplace disturbances will take place
Lockouts are a protesting option for employers. What rules must employers follow when instituting a lockout?
The employer must continue good faith bargaining during the lockout The lockout can occur upon an impasse in bargaining The lockout must be solely in support of the employer's legitimate bargaining position
What are the key considerations for developing local compensation program?
The extent to which the programs are standardized or localized The competition in the international labor market How the compensation and benefit practices and programs are perceived in the local culture The cost of living and exchange rates
After Congress passes a law, rules must be put into place to guide the regulatory process associated with the new law. There are a number of steps involved in the process of making admin laws or rules:
The final draft of the proposed rule is developed and sent to the office of Management and budge (OMB) for review. An agency develops a draft of the proposed rule, which is approved at the highest level of the agency. The notice of proposed rule is published and public reviews are conducted
What is the objective of the Fishbone or Ishikawa diagram?
The fundamental objective of the Ishikawa diagram is to identify the principal cause of an effect of a particular problem to give an assessment of quality.
What factors should you consider when measuring the recruitment and sourcing efforts of your workforce?
The hire yield ratio of a head hunter, Average time it takes to recruit for a job opening, Turnover costs
Lockouts are a protesting option for employers. What rules must employers follow when instituting a lockout?
The lockout must be solely in support of the employer's legitimate bargaining position The lockout can occur upon an impasse in bargaining The employer must continue good faith bargaining during the lockout
What is an ADDIE model?
The most commonly used framework that organizations and training developers use to enhance human resource development programs. A denotes Analysis phase, Denotes Design, D denotes Development, I denotes Implementation, and E denotes Evaluation
What does the opportunity success rate do?
The opportunity success rate measures how many opportunities are closed by sales. This metric can help marketing and sales strategies as well as the overall business development plan. An opportunity is a halfway point between a lead and a customer-the lead has been contacted by the sales team but isn't yet a customer
Strategy formulation
The organization's vision and mission statements are developed and its values are defined. (Ex. Decide what the future of the organization will look like and what activities will help achieve this)
What is the purpose of organizational analysis?
The organizational analysis is conducted to ensure that the company is on board with the training initiative and will be supportive
What is quality control?
The phase where the process is tested, ensuring that it can suit customer needs with minimal inspection. It is the phase that tests organizational efficiency
A pension plan that meets the minimum standards set by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) must do what?
The plan must include minimum vesting schedules for graded and cliff vesting
What are Reduction in Force (RIFs)?
The planned elimination of a number of personnel to make an organization more competitive through reducing costs, using technology to replace labor, leveraging mergers and acquisitions, or by moving a company to a more economical location.
The OSH Act is aimed at ensuring that employers keep employees informed, healthy, and safe. Identify these employer rights and responsibilities.
The right to present views and evidence about an industry's involvement in job safety and health The right to participate in OSHA Standards Advisory Committees for developing safety and health standards The right to apply to OSHA for a permanent variance from a standard The responsibility of keeping records of work-related injuries and illnesses and providing employees access to their records
Human capital
The skill mix and inventory based on employee roles and functions and Number of employees required over the next fiscal year
A company with an enviable workforce quality focuses on:
The skills and experience of its employees
What are hazard communication standards?
The standard for safety measures such as the labeling of workplace hazards
Define ergonomics
The study and design of the work environment to address physical demands placed on employees
What is implementation theory?
The study of the goals that can be achieved in the change phase when rational agents work cooperatively
Define labor market?
The supply from which employers attract new hires
What does a task analysis do?
The task analysis focuses on the specific tasks that employees must complete to successfully perform their job
What is on-call time?
The time that an employee is required to remain at the employer's place of business while waiting to engage in work as required by their employer
There are a number of aspects of benefit programs that need to be clearly communicated to employees under ERISA. What do employers need to communicate to employees?
The time when an employee gains control over contributions The proportion the company pays toward benefits When and how employees are notified about benefit changes What happens to employee benefits upon termination of employment
Degree of formalization of procedures and policies
There are many formal requirements
What are recognition programs used for?
These programs are used to promote a positive organizational culture by recognizing individual employees for the work they have completed
What is the Portal-to-Portal Act (1947) and why is it important?
This amendment to the FLSA was passed in order to limit its remedies available. IT deals with the preliminary tasks-activities prior to the start of principal workday activities-and postliminary tasks- activities following the completion of principal workday activities
What is the Equal Pay Act (1963)?
This law requires employers to pay equal wages to both men and women who perform equal jobs in the same establishment
What does the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service do?
This pieces of legislation granted power to the United States president to obtain an injunction ending a strike or lockout for an eighty-day "cooling off" period if the continuation of the strike could "imperial the health or safety of the nation"
Explain time-based differential pay?
Time-based differential pay is allotted to employees based on when they work. For example, some employees receive additional pay, called "shift pay" for being called in to work during an emergency, also known as "emergency shift pay"
A company has a no-beard policy. This applies to all employees without regard to race. However, the no-beard policy is not job-related and has a negative impact on some employees with a predisposition to a skin condition that causes severe shaving bumps. Which law or regulation may be violated?
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and as amended in 1991
Why was the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) passed?
To allow eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave during a twelve -month period for specific family issues and medical reasons
What is the purpose of a pilot program?
To function as a test program, in which leadership conducts analyses to assess the programs feasibility and revenue-wielding potential
One goal of organizational development is to improve an organization's culture. What are the goals of an organization's culture?
To promote a stable and predictable environment To help shape behaviors To provide an organizational identity to its members To help facilitate organization-wide commitment
One purpose of organizational development is to enhance an organization's culture. What are the aims of an organization's culture?
To provide an organizational identity to its members To help facilitate organization-wide commitment To promote a more stable and predictable environment To help shape behaviors
What topics are discussed during stay interviews?
Topics including why employees came to work for the employers, why the employees have stayed at the employer, what would make the employees consider leaving, and what the employees would want changed are discussed. This allows management to make necessary improvement before they find themselves conducting exit interviews
_____ promotes staff welfare through compensation and benefits programs.
Total rewards
Self-directed training
Traditional training that allows trainees to set their own pace and choose their own setting
Classroom training
Traditional training that provides an on-hand expert and the opportunity for employees to interact with one another
What are the key characteristics of a successful mentoring program?
Trained mentors and matched participants Effective assessment Effective coordination Support
Large groups
Trainees seated in a chevron shape with the trainer at the peak; Trainees seated in a block shape without tables, with the trainer at the front
Improved worker performance, consistent performance and worker satisfaction are part of:
Training and Development
Improved worker performance, consistent performance and worken satisfaction are part of:
Training and Development.
An organization has several options to achieve career development. The options include all of the following:
Training and Learning. Performance Appraisal. Job Rotation
What are the primary functions of human resource development programs?
Training and development Knowledge management Career development Organizational development
What are the key characteristics to consider when engaging a facilitator?
Training expert Communications professional Consultant Technical expert Content expert
What are training workshops?
Training workshops are events designated to let individuals discover their skills, allowing them to pursue careers that correspond to them
Recruiting internally can help a company successfully fill job openings. Match each type of internal recruitment source to its example:
Transfers- an employee is asked to work for a specific dept, Job postings - internal alerts about job openings are sent via company email and on the intranet, Referrals -employees encourage friends to apply for job openings, Skill bank - an online tracking system is accessed to help identify capable candidates
What does transition (Kurt Lewin) specify?
Transition stipulates that for an entity to change, there must be a transitory period in which inner motivating factors come to terms with the need for change.
Using the Talent Analytics tool to appraise employee performance and enable the company to identify those who are eligible for promotion encourages:
Transparency
Two tools for measuring the state of employee relations and the effectiveness of employee relations intervention strategies are the turnover rate metric and the exit interview. Match the tools for assessing employee relations in organizations to their examples.
Turnover rate- Determining the number of employees who leave voluntarily; Determining the number of low-performing employees leaving an organization; Exit interview-Discovering the true reasons for employees voluntarily leaving; Gathering information about the competition
Two tools for measuring the state of employee relations and the effectiveness of employee relations intervention strategies are the turnover rate metric and the exit interview. Match the tools for assessing employee relations in organizations to their examples.
Turnover rate- determining the number of employees who leave voluntarily; determining the number of low-performing employees leaving an organization Exit interview- discovering the true reasons for employees voluntarily leaving; gathering information about the competition
Which perspectives demonstrate the components of a balanced scorecard
Understanding how stakeholders currently view the organization Determining how operations within the company are performed Analyzing what competencies are needed to add strategic value through innovation Knowing the types of financial and other results that must be accomplished
Which regulation places a federal income tax withholding requirement on qualified retirement plan proceeds?
Unemployment Compensation Amedments (UCA), 1992
Match the stages in the change process theory with their descriptions.
Unfreezing - Preparing for change, by removing obstacles to the change and motivating individuals Moving- Persuading individuals to accept a new way of doing things Refreezing- Ensuring the new way of doing things continues to be implemented
What does unfreezing (Kurt Lewin) mean?
Unfreezing means that there is immense importance for an organization to understand the need for change and to brace for the anticipated impact of change
Match the change process theory strategies with their descriptions
Unfreezing- organizing for change by motivating individuals and removing obstacles to the change Moving- encouraging individuals to accept a new way of doing things Refreezing- ensuring the new way of doing things is indeed the new way of doing things
External recruitment is the process of seeking applicants for positions from sources outside the organization.
Universities and colleges develop recruitment programs Provide a careers or opportunities link on the internet Place employment ads in an industry-specific pub Use an agency to find, screen and place individuals in key roles
You need to carefully plan and execute the implementation of the training program in order for it to go as smoothly as possible. What should you do during this stage?
Update the current content as needed Book the facilities and equipment Create pilot programs Consider the location and whether it's on-site or off-site
What accounting practies should HR professionals use for tracking and reporting on compensation policies and programs?
Upper management set budget expectations Departments are monitored to ensure policy compliance
What are corporate wellness programs used for?
Used to maintain and improve employee's health before serious problems arise, in an effort to offset the rising costs of healthcare.
What are performance-based pay plans?
Used to motivate employees to perform their work at a higher level and can be instituted at the individual, group, or organization-wide levels.
What does the point factor method do?
Uses specific compensable factors, such as skill, responsibility, effort, working conditions, and the supervision of others, in order to evaluate the relative worth of each job
Which actions are characteristic of good succession planning?
Using an internal pool to find read-made skill sets Determining the required competencies for current and future key roles
Which methods are commonly used to gather data for a benefits program needs assessment?
Using benchmarks to find out what other top organizations are doing Using questionnaires to gather data from individuals Using trend analysis to identify patterns over a period of time
Narrative
Using critical incident records to track specific actions of each employee both positive and negative, to include in the performance appraisal; Answering a series of open-ended questions for team members
which uses of technology help streamline and improve the effectiveness of HR processes and activities?
Using e-discovery to preserve company records, using social media to help workers share ideas, and using business integration to unify company systems
Which examples describe sources of international recruitment?
Using succession planning data to find talent Finding referrals through professional associations Posting employment opportunities on web sites
An organization may use both internal and external sources to fill international openings.Which activities are examples of international sources of recruitment?
Using the organization's human capital management system to identify talent Recruiting talent from an organization's domestic operations Placing job openings on the Internet Using personal networking to get talent referrals
When collecting data for a benefits program needs assessment, which methods are commonly used?
Using trend analysis to evaluate the efficacy of corrective actions Using benchmarking to learn best practices Using surveys to gather data from groups
Learning styles are approaches to learning, It varies from one person to the next. What are the categories of learning styles?
Visual Auditory Kinesthetic
Corporate social responsibility is about how corporate citizens manage their businesses and their interrelationships with all their stakeholders in order to produce an overall positive impact on society. Which areas does HR build alliances with external stakeholders to support society at large?
Voluntary and philanthropic, Legal, Economic, Ethical
When does Wage Compression take place?
Wage compression takes place when a new employee is paid at a higher wage than an individual who is currently employed in a similar position and with similar skills in an organization
A Task Analysis helps an organization find answers to all of the following questions except:
What is their execution turnaround
What are the key questions to ask when using a balanced scorecard?
What type of financial and other performance results must we accomplish In which internal processes so we need to excel How can we improve our relationship with our customers
When does a wrongful discharge occur?
When an employee is terminated after they refuse to do something unsafe, unethical, or illegal, such as a pharmacist refusing to sign off on a prescription to be dispensed that does not have a date
When does the halo effect take place?
When an employee receives glowing performance appraisal after the evaluator notices that he or she is exceptionally good at performing one aspect of his or her job
What is internal recruiting?
When companies choose to recruit from within the organization. Some of the most common strategies to find potential candidates include internal announcements, which are made to employees before the general public; job bidding, which involves an employee expressing an interest in a position, whether or not it is available; and promotion plans, which detail an employee's skills and training and future positions for which they are qualified.
What is a reduction in force (RIF)?
When employees are let go by causes outside of HR's control, like economic recession and office closures
What information must employees be made aware of regarding benefits and compensation programs?
When payouts contain employer and employee contributions How an employer notifies employees about changes to a benefit The proportion the employer pays toward benefits What happens to employee benefits upon termination of employment
Define case studies?
When research is conducted about a specific person, group, or situation over a certain period of time. Case studies give students opportunity to situate themselves into real world, tangible scenarios
what is utilization analysis?
When the availability of women and minorities is compared with their current representation in each job group at the company
What does freezing (Kurt Lewin) refer to?
When the raw adjustments are solidified and cemented into the functions of entity. It is the reestablishment of new compositions, norms, rules, and procedures.
What must be communicated to employees about benefits and compensation programs?
Whether employees can adjust benefits during the year Effective dates of benefits Who is eligible to receive benefits
Matrix
While working on a client software project, an employee of the custom solutions department also reports to the project manager, a member of another department.
All policies and procedures contain information on how an organization's policy statement is implemented and administered. Which information should be clearly communicated to employees?
Who is eligible for what benefits Start dates of benefits Changes employees may make to a benefit
Organizations use policies, procedures, and work rules to communicate how their business should run and what is expected of employees. Match the workplace communication methods to their descriptions. Some descriptions may match to more than one communication option.
Work rules- Specifies what employees can and can't do Policies- Provides broad guidelines about organizational practices Procedures- Guides actions and leaves little room for interpretation; Specifies what employees can and can't do
Effective affirmative action plans contain a number of key development aspects that together outline exactly what is being done to promote affirmative action in a particular organization. Match each example of affirmative action planning to the related key aspect.
Workforce and job group analysis- lists all job title in each job group and the percentages of females and minorities in each group, Organizational profile- compile details of each department, job title, and the number of males and females in ethnic groups within the organization, Availability analysis- determine the number of minorities and women with the right skills that can be employed or promoted, Placement goals- create objectives to increase an organization's representation of minorities and women
Some of the areas of the workforce that should be considered when making decisions that may have a lasting impact on the company are:
Workforce quality and quantity
Knowledge of the following isn't necessary to pass the Business Management section of the PHR test?
Workplace programs that can boost security and safety
Match each example to the corresponding workplace security threat.
Workplace violence- harassment; threat of assault Theft and fraud- corruption Terrorism- building explosions n/a- infectious disease and stress
Match the examples to the corresponding workplace security threats.
Workplace violence- physical assault; threatening behavior Theft and fraud- embezzlement Terrorism- biological attacks
Employment contracts spell out terms of employment such as compensation, job title, and the conditions which the relationship can be terminated. HR professionals need to be aware of what constitutes an employment contract.
Written- an employee and employer sign a document that specifies the details of the work to be performed and how much the employee will be paid, Oral- a manager tells an employee they have a job as long as sales quotas are continually met, Implied- a company has a history of giving employees a raise every year
If the ID you present at the testing center does not match the one you used to register for the exam, the following will happen:
You will not be allowed to take the test
What doesn't Business Management cover?
Your ability to collect and analyze employee engagement data within the organization
Contrast
Yvette, a great performer in the past, is rated lower than Martin, a poor performer who has excelled
A credential that you receive as proof of your expertise, knowledge, specialized skills and experience is:
a certification
One of the requirements for being considered a professional body is:
a code of ethics that regulates activities
What is employment-at-will?
a common law doctrine that states employers have the right to hire, promote, demote, or fire whomever they choose, provided there is not a law or contract in place to the contrary.
Respondeat superior
a company is sued when an agent acting on its behalf provides false information to a client
Multi-unit or coordinate
a company negotiates common subject such as pay, working ours, and conditions with all the unions representing different employee units and trades at once
Negligent hiring and retention
a company retains a worker who demonstrates violent behavior in the office
What is a job description?
a detailed breakdown of specific tasks, skills, and knowledge required for a position
What is a business case?
a document that shows the reasoning behind a business change, such as initiating a new project. It makes the case for a change in the business, helping decision-makers inside or outside the organization to justify resources for this activity.
What is corporate espionage?
a form of spying that occurs between competitive companies
What is Immigration and Customs Enforcement?
a government agency that can audit a company's records to guarantee compliance with employment eligibility laws
Seasonal
a government dept needs workers to reforest a large park in the spring
Define Grievance
a grievance is a complaint made by an employe that is formally stated in writing
what is a job group analysis?
a job group analysis is a list of all title that comprise each group
What is point factor method?
a less complex and more commonly used method that uses specific, compensable factors, such as skill, responsibility, effort, working conditions, and the supervision of others, in order to evaluate the relative worth of each job.
Defamation
a manager writes a malicious reference letter to a former employee
Define qualitative forecasting?
a method used by companies to determine staffing needs that is based on the opinions and estimations of industry experts or managers
What is factor comparison method?
a more complex and rarely used method that involves ranking of each job by each selected compensable factor and then identifies dollar values for each level of each factor to develop a pay rate for an evaluated job
What happens in arbitration?
a neutral third party (known as an arbitrator) makes a decision based on the facts presented. Arbitration is a way to settle disputes without taking the issue to court
On-the-job training
a nontraditional method that allows employees to work alongside an experienced employee while they are carrying out their tasks
Technology-driven training
a nontraditional method that can be widely distributed at relatively low costs
What is a performance improvement plan?
a performance improvement plan is a formal written document concluded between the employee and the company (generally the manager, supervisor, or HR). It should detail specific behavior issues that need improvement
What is the Sherman Antitrust Act?
a piece of legislation intended to protect free trade. In simple terms, under the act, individuals or organizations cannot enter into any contract that unreasonably prevents others from engaging in similar commerce
Define outsourcing?
a practice of delegating work responsibilities in a business to separate third-party individual or organization not associated with the company
Open-door policy
a pre-emptive or preventive approach to resolving disputes
What is reauthorization?
a process of removing a union's security clause and its authority to negotiate
Define turnover analyses
a quantiative forecasting method that compares the number of employees who leave the company over a period of time with past data
Define trend analyses
a quantitaive forecasting method that compares single amounts instead of ratios, such as the number of employees
Define proability model?
a quantitative forecasting method of compiled data a company can utilize to predict future changes
Define ratio analyses
a quantitiative forecasting method that compares current with past employment ratios to determine where staffing needs may change, such as the number of employees to the number of products made
Violence
a seasoned employee always uses condescending language with new hires; an employee swears loudly whenever a particular coworker passes by
A code of ethics is a:
a set of principles with the objective of assisting professionals to be honest in their business dealings.
What is a disaster recovery plan (DRP)?
a set of procedures that prepares for disaster so that destructive effects are reduced, and essential data that can be recovered
Define normative-reductive strategy?
a strategy to manage change that assumes that people will closely follow the social normas and expectations. In order to implement change, it's necessary to first change people's idea of what is socially acceptable.
What is the purpose of a vision statement:
a succinct explanation of how an organization plans to deliver quality products/services.
Phased retirement
a systems administrator close to ending his career is asked to supervise special projects
What is a behavioral interview?
a technique that involves interviewers asking candidates to use specific examples to describe how they have handled a problem or performed a task in a past work situation
What is mediation?
a third party intervening in a dispute in order to resolve that dispute
If not correctly leveraged, new inventions and technologies may pose ____ to an organization:
a threat
Self-directed training
a traditional training method that allows the trainee to take the training where and when she wants
Classroom training
a traditional training method that provides and expert and the opportunity for trainees to interact with one another
What is constructive confrontation?
a type of mediation used in some extremely complicated or contentions disputes, particularly ones where neither party is able to agree to a compromise
What is nearshore?
a type of outsourcing where the vendor is in a country adjacent to the business
What is onshore?
a type of outsourcing where the vendor is in the same country as the business
Refusing to bargain in good faith
a union refuses to meet with an employer to negotiate at a reasonable time
What is a job analysis?
a way fo systematically gathering and analyzing information about the context, content, and human requirements of jobs within an organization.
Talent Analytics provides all of the following benefits:
access to frequent and continuous feedback and improved employee retention rates
Health care
additional benefits can include dental and vision coverage; participants can receive a wide range of services on a prepaid basis; Covered employees are reimbursed for visits with qualified physicians or hospitals; Typically includes some dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage
An employee is known for making few or zero contributions to general discussions. However, this person is extremely driven to fulfill his job responsibilities. He is a/an:
affiliation motivated employee
This class of employees favors collaboration and dislikes competition?
affiliation-motivated employees
Pay grades
all jobs within a certain pay grade are compensated similiarly
What is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002?
also known as Sarbox or SOX, it is an important buisness law created in reaction to corporate fraud scandals like Enron in 2001. SOX established new regulations for corporate accounting and created the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB).
What is workforce reduction?
also known as downsizing, are the planned elimination of a number of personnel in order to make an organization more effective
Part-time
an accountant works mornings at a small distribution company
What is ambiguity (VUCA)
an acronym of VUCA that occurs in situations with "unkown unknowns" when the company has no experience to base predictions on, like moving into emerging industries
Respondeat superior
an employee fails to ship an order on time for a customer's construction job
Defamation
an employee is falsely accused of theft by an employer, which has affected future employment opportunities
Insubordination
an employee makes snide comments to the team leader when the schedule is emailed
Employment at will
an employee notifies his boss of his resignation effective the same day
Constructive discharge
an employee quits after being demoted because or reporting the company's corrupt CFO
Constructive discharge
an employee resigns when its's clear the company is unwilling to fire a verbally abusive manager
Negligent hiring and retention
an employee's regular temper outbursts result in an injury to a coworker
What is an implied contract?
an employment contract that is inferred from an employer's conduct or actions
What is an express contract?
an express contract is based on an employer's written or oral words and is a formal agreement that outlines the details of the employment arrangement.
what is a brown bag lunch program
an informal meeting including employees and management that is used to discuss company problems
what is an unstructured interview?
an interview where interviewers ask applicant questions that were not prepared prior to the start of the interview. This can give the interviewer a chance to see how well the applicant thinks on their feet, and whether they can handle a lack of formalities or structure within a professional setting
If you want to reschedule your exam, you should submit your request:
at least three business days before the original exam date
A mentor's job description involves all of the following:
attending meetings together working out practical action plans or strategies to enhance your relationship Offering opportunities for professional development without hesitation
Lateness to the examination center will result in:
automatic disqualification
what can criterion related validity do?
can predict how an individual will behave in the workplace based on their test scores. This is done by comparing test result data to specific metrics or criteria required by the job, or to wider company goals, such as the total number of sales or the overall employee retention rate
What can a reference check do?
can verify if an individual has the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience based on prior job performance, while also validating an individual's application for employement
What are semi-active candidates?
candidates are not actively looking for work but are preparing themselves for new opportunities. These individuals most often do not have a resume prepared and businesses looking to recruit them often allow submissions of alternatives, such as an online such media profile
Training programs and career development can be applied in the following:
career pathing, managment training, mentorhsip
Final assessment
check return on investment and goal achievement
To pay for the exam, you should go to the?
checkout page
Technical
classifying skills by occupation; expertise in a specific skill
What does cost-benefit analysis (CBA) do?
compares the cost of a particular option with the benefits it will bring to the organization. A CBA has two main uses: First, it helps to determine whether a particular option is worthwhile. Secondly, it's a method of comparison when making a decision that has several options.
Gap analysis:
comparing supply and demand- HR predicts a demand in the increase of employees with IT skills across the company
International
compensation is equivalent regardless of employee's country or destination Local market compensation is based on host-country standards
Technology-driven training
computer-based training during working hours
What does concurrent validity do?
concurent validity determines if an individual currently possesses the required skills, knowledge or behavioral traits.
Geographic labor market
conducting an international, national, or regional breakdown of skill levels; availability of certified professionals in an area
Propose solutions
considering the options for specific finance training
Peer review
consists of a group of employees or employees and mangers
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
contains implications for whistleblower protection and small business programs
Life insurance
coverage comes in a variety of forms including excess group-tern and dependent group; Provides death benefits through group insurance
Disability
coverage includes sick leave; Includes sick leave and short- and long-term coverage for injured employees
In your capacity as the Training and Development Manager, your responsibilities include:
creating effective training programs for all classes of employees and managing programs
What is soliciting feedback?
crucial component of program evaluation, guiding and sustaining initiatives, and providing valuable customer service
The demand analysis phase is an important aspect of HR because it addresses an organization's:
current and future needs
An attack on a person via the internet, whether in the office or at home, is known as:
cyberbullying
What does construct validity do?
determines if a screening tool effectively tests and measures the characteristic it claims to measure, such as intelligence, and that the characteristic in question is indeed important for successful performance of the job.
Turnover rate
determining the number of high-performing employees leaving the organization; calculating how many employees are transferred within a company
How do you find the innovation rate?
divide the revenue generated by new products and services by the total revenue from all products and services over a given period. This allows the organization to see how much of an impact innovation has on its overall operations.
A structure that allows healthy interactions among individuals in a group and enables them to pool resources towards the achievement of a common goal is a:
divisional structure
You must increase your business management knowledge in several areas except:
efficiently advocating for employee layoffs
Which of the following do you need to access the HRCI website?
email address and password
What are passive candidates?
employed but not looking for work. These individuals are sometimes still worth pursuing by employers, if candidates are willing to listen to a recruiter about a better career opportunity. Proactive searching is the most effective way of reaching this group through avenues like social media.
Data privacy and security, business continuity processes and disaster recovery processes are a part of:
employee and labor relations
Productivity
employees are paid according to how much work is produced
Flat rate
employees are paid the same regardless of their positions
Masculinity vs femininity
employees value quality of life more than competitiveness
Absenteesim
employees work overtime to make up for a colleague's frequent sick leave
What does the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) do?
enforces and oversees laws against workplace discrimination. The definition of workplace discrimination has since been expanded to include protection from discrimination based on an employee's disability, children, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, and reporting discriminatory practices
Organizational change management is a systematic approach and involves the application of knowledge and resources to manage change effectively. There are several guiding principles of change management. Identify key principles change leaders can apply during the change management process.
engage all employees on the process, reward exemplary behaviors and celebrate short-term wins, assess an organization's culture before change occurs, support desired behaviors by providing coaching and counseling, ensure information is inspiring, regular, timely, and through several channels
What are HR audits used for?
ensure all employees are following organizational policies
Peer review
ensure non-biased feedback by having a third party review the plan
HR professionals support change management initiatives before, during and after the change. Which examples demonstrate the role HR plays in supporting managemenet during the change process?
ensuring management communicates with employees regularly, advising senior management about employee expectations, ensuring leaders are supportive and visible during the change, participating in developing change management strategy
Differentiate between the ethnocentric and polycentric approaches for staffing global assignments by matching them with their descriptions:
ethnocentric-assigning all significant positions to employees originating from the parent-company nation polycentric- hiring a local national familiar with the market to manage host country's operations
Cost per hire
finding the average cost of recruiting and selecting quality human capital
Compensation to operating expense ratio
finding the ration of the revenues allocated to direct costs of on-payroll employees
Attrition rate
finding the ration of workers that left an organization compared to the average number of workers
Professional in Human Resources can be classified into ___ classes
five
what are town hall meetings
formal gatherings for the entire company that are commonly referred to as "all-hands" meetings
______ is a type of mentoring that involves using a company program.
formal mentoring
Values
forms the foundations of the organizations corporate culture (Ex. We believe that customers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect)
Poor understanding across multiple units and increased unit autonomy are some of the challenges of a:
functional organizational structure
Understanding the difference between workforce demand and supply is the major function of ______:
gap analysis
Failure to perform a gap analysis can:
give the company's competitors a competitive advantage negatively affect a company's performance derail a company's operations
Histogram
groups data, represented by vertical bars
Feedback is considered effective if it:
has a personal tone and is balanced
What are the three types of organization development interventions?
human process intervention, socio-technical intervention, techno-structural intervention
The mechanism put in place by each organization to assist employees to develop their abilities and organizational skills is the:
human resource development
Unemployment insurance
income assistance benefits
Self-esteem in the workplace can result in:
increased motivation among employees
Choose and implement training
initiating the financial management training
What does Management by Walking Around (MBWA) involve?
involves having managers and supervisors physically get out of their offices and interact with employees in person
Calculate the cost
justifying the training investment
Labor force
knowing the number of all employed and unemployed adults; availability of employable people
According to Maslow, failure to meet a person's psychological needs may result in:
lack of concentration
Social networking and interpersonal relationships can contribute greatly to meeting a person's needs:
love
Affiliation-motivated employees have several attributes. These include:
low tolerance for competition
What does management forecasting involve?
management forecasting involves determining staffing needs from the managers of each department and making decisions by using their reports
Which of the following pieces of information are not needed for registration?
marital status
Which of the following is not a functional area of business management:
market stimulation
Pay ranges
market survey data is referenced to establish the midpoint pay range
An aspect of Business Management that focuses on the need to understand your target audience and develop effective ways to reach it is:
marketing
Sharing materials and human resources with a view to reducing the cost of production is one of the outstanding benefits of a:
matrix organizational structure
The most appropriate organizational structure for a multinational company who branches around the globe is a:
matrix structure
what is alternative recruiting?
method that may try to find candidates by passing out fliers, recruiting in professional organizations, finding employees through prison work programs, recruiting outgoing employees, or offering sing-on bonuses
What is the applicant tracking system?
method used to make the selection process more effective by utilizing a software application to electronically process a company's recruitment needs
What are cash flow metrics?
metrics that are concerned with analyzing money coming in and going out. One straightforward cash metric is net cash flow, which measures the difference between incoming and outgoing cash over a fixed period (e.g. monthly, annually)
Arbitration
one or more impartial persons rules on the outcome
You can reschedule the examination for _______
onet-time nonrefundable fee of $150
An organization can only stand out from the pack if it leverages its _____:
opportunities
The "O" in SWOT analysis stands for:
opportunities
The external factors in a SWOT analysis are:
opportunities and threats
The process of appraising operations, work environment, growth and personnel to enable an organization to optimize them and fix potential problems is:
organizational analysis
An alternative to purchasing a piece of costly equipment is:
outsourcing the job
When completing the registration form, _____ requires that you provide information about your professional experience and educational background:
page 2
Information about payment, fees, etc. can be found on what page of the registration form?
page 3
If you have special needs and want to place a special request for test-taking accommodations, you can find all the necessary information on which page on the registration section of the HRCI website:
page 4
While preparing for the exam, you can review the HRCI Global privacy policy to familiarize yourself with the rules governing HRCI examination conduct. This information is found on______
page 5
What does the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) do?
passed in 1935, the NLRA grants specific rights to workers who already belong to, or wish to join, a union. This is also known as the Wagner Act
Person
pay is based on an employee's level of knowledge or competency
Flat-dollar formula
paying $50 per month for each year of service
Final-pay formula
paying benefits based on average earnings during a ten-year period
CSR can be evaluated on which three p's of the "triple bottom line"
people, planet and profit
Employee coaching is part of:
performance improvement plans
In its ____ capacity, the HRD oversees the activities of an organization and ensures it meets its mission and obligations while supporting the organization's overall objectives.
performance management
If you are sleep-deprived and your performance drops at work, according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs you are suffering because of not meeting your:
physical needs
The body's physical needs are considered:
physiological needs
The area of Business Management where you can carry out a SWOT analysis is:
planning
Control chart
plots observed data resulting form a process over time
In the event an election is granted by the NLRB, employers must follow certain rules. In which cases are the rules being followed?
posting notices with the time, place, and unit description for the election presenting speeches to employees during work time providing a voter eligibility list within seven days after a consent election
If you must choose a manager for an organization, which class of employees offers the best candidates?
power seeking employees
When giving feedback as a PHR, you should be:
proactive and assertive
Business management will test your knowledge of all of the following:
professional and ethical standards, procedures of corporate governance and its compliance, and the mission, vision, structure and values of an organization
Which of the following statements is true regarding Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
prohibits discrimination against sexual orientation and race
Temporary employees
project start-up needs additional administrative support for the first three months
Educational market
projecting how many finance-related graduates will be available next year; background in a specific field of study
The organization and coordination of a company's activities towards the achievement of its goals are:
promotional structure
To confirm your application, the HRCI requires all of the following except:
proof of payment
Check sheet
provides a template for recording data in predetermined categories
Professional liability insurance
provides defense to the organization from a professional liability claim or lawsuit; provides financial protection for the directors and officers in the event of claims such as shareholders class action
Employment practices liability insurance
provides protection against claims of discrimination; protects against claims of wrongful termination; includes potential privacy-based claims and potential reputation claims; covers certain employment-related claims by employees
What is the purpose of the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection (UGESP)?
provides standards on what constitutes discriminatory hiring practices. UGESP established the four-fifths rule, which states that if the selection rate for any race, sex, or ethnic group is less than four-fifths of the selection rate for the group with the highest selection rate, the hiring practice is generally considered discriminatory.
When playing the _____ role, you focus on your mentees' personal growth and enhance their self-worth and identity through different means.
psychosocial richness role
Define Turnover
rate of employees who leave a workplace and are replaced. To calculate turnover, the number of separations per year is divided by the average number of individuals employed per month, x 100
What is complexity (VUCA)
refers to a situation with various interconnecting parts and factors, like a tech upgrade that requires new hardware, software, user support, and training; or a global merger that requires knowledge of local laws, culture, and customs in a new country
Triangle
represents decision points
Rectangle
represents the activities carried out during the process
What does scientific management emphasize?
scientific management or "Taylorism" emphasizes efficiency, maximizing worker production, and minimizing costs. It facilitated the mass production of goods in a factory setting and streamlined processes, eliminating waste and redundancy
what does external recruiting do?
seeks individuals from outside the organization for employment and usually emphasizes the advantage of employment within the organization, advertising benefits such as pay, insurance, leave, or employee discounts
All of the following are different forms of cyberbullying an employee may be subjected to:
sexual and other forms of harassment, intimidation and humiliation and all forms of threats
What is a Cash flow statement
shows cash coming in and leaving an organization over a specified period of time.
Fishbone diagram
shows potential cause of a problem to find the origin of the problem
Balance sheet
shows the financial position of an organization at a specific time
Pareto chart
shows the frequency of data points per category of cause, organized in descending order from left to right
What do situational interviews do?
situational interviews relate more to hypothetical situations that may take place in the future. For example, an employer may present a problem that could occur in hte position for which the candidate is interviewing and ask the applicant how they may handle it
There are _____ functional areas of business management:
six
Workforce planning is divided into ______ phases?
six phases
After identifying the gaps in the existing workforce, an organization can move to the next step:
solution implementation
Identifying an organization's workforce planning needs and identifying the best workforce that aligns with an organization's policies are some attributes of:
solution implementation
If you are physically challenged and need special accommodations during the test, you should submit the following form:
special testing accommodation
Fiedler's contingency theory
specific leadership styles are better for some situations than others
What does VUCA stand for and how is it used?
stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity and is a strategy used to deal with unknowable situations
what are stay interviews?
stay interviews are interviews where topics including why employees come to work for the employer, why the employees have stayed at the employer, what would make the employee consider leaving, and what the employees would want to see changed are discussed
Time-based
step-rate- pay rates for employees are based on length of time in the position
Fiedler's contingency theory
structure of tasks, power position, and relationships
Human capital ROI
subtracting nonwage expenses from revenue
Hiring competent hands to handle key areas and positions in an organization is the responsibility of the:
succession planning process
Power distance
supervisors include workers in the decision-making process
How does negligent hiring occur?
takes place when an employer hires an employee, and the employer either knew or should have known that the employee posed a risk to other employees or to customers
The controlling process is continuous. With this function, management can anticipate future problems. Which steps are involved in the controlling function of management?
taking corrective actions, establishing performance standards, Comparing actual performance against standards, measuring actual performance
Conducting background checks on candidates, interviewing and extending offers are some of the requirements for:
talent acquisition
Having a full grasp of the legal and ethical requirements of an organization is included in your job description under ______
talent planning and acquisition
Explain what a core values statement does?
tells what the organization stands for and guides standards of expected employee behavior. For example, a value statement could be: "our organization is committed to diversity. To this end, we are an Equal Opportunity employer and serve clients without discriminating based on race, gender, ethnicity, or sexuality".
Learning and Development focuses on all of the following except:
termination concepts and terms
Where can you find up-to-date information about the certification program?
the HRCI's website
explain climate
the overall "mood" of an organization that is closely affected by work environment, company standards, interactions, and a general sense of "how things are done around here"
What are workforce demographics?
the statistical characteristics, such as gender, income, and age that make up the human population at work
Talent analytics also involves highlighting:
the strengths of a workforce
What is a hostile work environment?
the type of sexual harassment known as hostile work environment takes place when sexual or discriminatory conduct creates a work environment that a "reasonable person" would find threatening or abusive (i.e. unwelcome advances, offensive gender-related language, and sexual innuendos).
Charging excessive membership fees
the union charges higher dues than other unions in the same industry
Parallel or pattern
the union negotiates with one employer at a time, the results of which are used in other negotiations
Multi-employer or coalition
the union negotiates with several employers acting jointly in the same industry
Featherbedding
the union requires an employer to pay employees to do jobs that are not necessary
Explain what the Juran trilogy refers to:
there are three areas of quality management: quality planning, quality improvement, and quality control. These three principles are known as the Juran Trilogy
What are quantitative methods based on?
they are based on numbers, statistics, and other measurable data
One of the reasons why a company may decide to adopt a mentorship program is:
to create a workforce that efficiently works towards the achievement of the organization's goals
What is the purpose of Return on Equity (ROE)?
to demonstrate how efficiently a company uses investments to generate profit by measuring the company's rate of return on its shareholders' equity. It can be found by dividing a company's fiscal year net income by the total shareholder equity. It can give shareholders confidence that their investment is beig well-used-or it can tell them to invest their money elsewhere.
Why might there be a need to retrain someone who already has the academic qualifications and experience for a job?
to increase their marketability
Balance sheet
total compensation equalizes the purchasing power of employees in similar positions in the home country plus incentives to offset the inconveniences of the relocation
Compensation processes, policies and analysis are some duties covered under:
total rewards
Pay structure, non-cash compensation, payroll and budgeting, and job pricing are some fo the areas of knowledge that are required in:
total rewards
Promoting tuition assistance, workplace amenities and employee recognition is part of:
total rewards
Turnover cost
totaling all indirect and direct costs a company incurs when an employee leaves
Small interactive group
trainees seated in a U-shape with the trainer at the front; individuals seated in a ring with the trainer seated among them
Large groups
trainees seated in a block without tables with the trainer in the front; trainees seated in a chevron shape with the trainer at the peak
Serving as a/an _____ will test your presentation and creativity skills:
training manager
The difference between training and development is:
training offers short-term performance-enhancing opportunities while development is long-run
Family and medical leave act (FMLA)
unpaid leave up to 12 weeks to care for family
Define open-door policy?
used to establish a relationship where employees feel comfortable speaking directly with management about problems and suggestions
Mediation
uses a person trained in negotiations techniques
What does expert forecasting do?
utilizes industry experts who are able to make decisions based on wider changes in the industry
what does a non-directive interview do?
utilizes open-ended questions that may be developed from an applicant's answers to previous question. The interviewer must strive to keep the conversation job-related and to obtain comparable data from each applicant interviewing for the same position. THis type of interviewing style is best used sparingly because comparing applicants is much more subjective than with other styles
Health and wellness
voluntary program that gives employees a more positive outlook; Includes regular physicals to assess health and fitness
What is rehabilitation act?
was passed in 1973 to prohibit employment discrimination based on physical or mental disabilities. This legislation charges employers with taking affirmative action to hire qualified disabled persons
When does the horn effect take place?
when an employee receives a negative performance appraisal after the evaluator notices that he or she is poor at performing one aspect of their job
What is an employee referral?
when an organization asks employees to recommend candidates from their own networks in order to find talented, skilled workers for a specific position
When do organizations engage in risk management?
when it identifies, targets, and strives to minimize unacceptable risks. While a variety of different risks may arise, an organization's principal risks are generally workplace health, safety, security, and privacy.
what is an availability analysis?
where organizations examine the internal and external availability of women and minorities to determine their theoretical availability